PART I EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN...
Who are you? You read this as a living homo sapiens animal clothed in manufactured fabrics, staring at a Microsoft Word document delivered to you through an electronic communications system called the Internet. The Internet touched large populations of animals for the first time approximately 2000 revolutions of the Earth about her Sun following the birth of a being named Jesus. You are a speck of dust of biology on a speck of dust of geology circling your Sun, within a revolving arm of the Milky Way. As far back in time as you have been able to peer through your Hubble Space Telescope, you have learned that the Milky Way is one of about 150 billion vast astrophysical cyclones you call galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of suns and planets. A strange introduction to yourself, isn't it? Yet that is actually a more complete description of you in this moment from the eyes of the Cosmos and distant future history books of Earth. Whenever we think about such abstract ideas, we all seek to answer the basic questions of life: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? What is my place? These are difficult questions to answer. Let us start by looking at what we're made of. You are made of Milky Way galaxy. You are made of the Cosmos. The Cosmos includes everything you smell, taste, touch, hear, see, know, or do. It is everything that is. We have been taught for millennia the tale of the origin of the Cosmos. Scientists in the discipline of cosmology call it "the Big Bang". Those faithful to the Western world's dominant religions call it "Genesis". In the beginning there was a special kind of energy, or light, a light that makes all things – a kind of temporal potential. Billions of galaxies, trillions of stars, and an uncountable number of worlds formed. On many of those worlds, when of just the right size, just the right distance from their suns, with just the right chemistry, as night parts with day in a rare ecological harmony, the spiral of life springs forth from their oceans and gardens. The Earth upon which you stand and all of the chemistry within your body and in the air you breathe was formed from simpler matter as a star perhaps like our sun exploded in death over 6 billion years ago. It spat out atoms in forms suitable for the evolution of a wondrous place such as Earth, and a being such as you. Perhaps the first time we homo sapiens truly understood the majesty of Earth was when we could see a picture of her. She was the cover star of Life Magazine in October, 1968. For the first time in our recorded history of the planet, millions of her own children – human beings – saw her whole face, and understood that they were looking at the home creation has made for them. It took a decade from those first Apollo images of Earth for a human to loudly proclaim that our planet is a living being. In James Lovelock’s Gaia, the evidence is as plain as ink on a page. There is life-like precision, care, and process across all the disciplines of "non-living" science -- physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, meteorology -- not just biology, particularly as these disciplines interrelate in the definition of place suitable for human life. If we take a brief trip to visit the life on Earth, it becomes clear that our world simply must be categorized as an organism herself with a metabolism tuned by biology, for the sake of biology itself. And since biology clearly serves the purpose of evolving consciousness, it can now be said that the Earth exists to advance consciousness. We live upon an amazing engine of life!

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Life "Of all the planets in the solar system, why is Earth the only one fit for life? Simple: because Earth has a surface that supports liquid water, the magic elixir required by all living beings." -- James Kasting, Scientific American, 3rd Quarterly, 1998 Oceans cover over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. Scientists theorize that the oceans formed upon the Earth’s crust through some combination of liquid and gas release from the interior of the planet and impact of ice-laden comets from the heavens. Whatever the source of the water, there is now 350 million cubic miles of it sloshing upon Earth’s crust, reaching to a depth of 36,200 feet in the Pacific’s Marianas Trench, where the pressure from the weight of the water is equivalent to over a thousand atmospheres. The ocean is separated into its barren and fertile zones just like the land. Massive rivers within the ocean called currents carry water around the globe in huge circling patterns, influencing and influenced by global weather systems. Powered as forcefully as they are, currents move quickly only at the surface, for deep cold water takes about 1,000 years to recirculate with the surface. With the remarkable exception of the ocean floor itself, where perhaps millions of species of life remain undiscovered, the deep of the ocean is a desert compared to the dazzling garden of beings found inhabiting the more temperate, shallow zones. The upper two percent of the ocean’s volume contains most biological organisms, at least those familiar to us. From the smallest single-celled amoeba to the largest blue whale, the ocean courses with simple, intelligent, and majestic life. It might surprise you to learn that the ocean supports a greater diversity of living body types than land. Indeed, of 33 animal phyla, 30 describe residents of the ocean. Only 16 describe residents of dry land or freshwater. The tree of life grows swiftly in water. Indeed, the root of the tree of genetic biology spirals outward from the oceans, and has turned a pregnant clump of geology into a verdant garden on the land. If ever there was a true Garden of Eden, its last superpower sprawls across our South American continent. No place on Earth is the majesty, power, and truth of the double helix of life more splendidly evident than in the depths of the jungle, across the plains, in the canopy, along the mountain peaks, and near the edges of this great labyrinthian river. Indeed, might not the river basin itself be alive, and thinking the thoughts thought by it’s many different cells -- the trillions of organic life forms among millions of species which it sustains and evolves? We know of no other place like this in the universe, at least none most scientists believe we could ever hope to reach. All the more precious this last vast preserve of Eden would then have to be to the life of Earth, and to all humans. Certainly to any true scientist. First, the obligatory numbers. The Amazon basin and adjacent regions in Central and South America represent 50% of the remaining rainforests on the planet. The basin delivers 20 percent of worldwide river water to the Atlantic ocean, from the reaches of 2.7 million square miles of rainforest. Its total water flow is greater than that of Earth’s next eight largest rivers combined, with a mouth at the ocean 200 miles wide, containing an island larger than Switzerland. Oceangoing vessels can travel up the river for 2,300 miles, placing them much closer to the Pacific ocean than the Atlantic. The rainforests contain 50% of living species of life on this world, yet they cover only 7% of the area of land. That 7% forms an indispensable segment of the branch of the tree of life upon which humanity stands at this moment. Underlying these dry numbers rests a secret of incredible majesty: the rainforests are the most powerful and concentrated womb of life ever created on the land of Earth.

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The most pervasively beautiful life form in this place is the tree. which accumulates on leaves through condensation and rainfall. By shielding much of the sun’s light. these mighty creatures shelter the biosphere of Amazonia. which means that ambient temperature can drop below freezing at 16. In the rainforests you will find plants that eat only air. and at their highest leaves. whole new forms of life spring forward. thousands and thousands of different species.400 feet at the equator. creating an enclosed womb for the dance of life below. they are home to the most fantastic winged life forms known to man. some with fruit containing 30 times the Vitamin C of citrus. The trees in this zone of our ecology are coated in thick ferns and mosses. Would it surprise you to learn that much of your DNA. plants that eat plants. But among the clouds. and it is true. Trees of every possible variety. BUT NOT ALTERED
. You will find plants that can survive 50-foot floods and plants that withstand the harshest of droughts. and animals evolving at a breathless pace. the forest does not sleep. and a few with the most lethal toxins known to science. the luminous fireflies have there way too. The clouds create an atmosphere rich in water. And in this almost silent night. the programming in the cells of your body. and plants that eat animals. the clouds themselves become the integral part of the fabric of life. In between soil and canopy is an infinitely complex yet stable web of life. with millions of species of microorganisms. It is often not even completely dark. At night. In this place. At their roots. as luminous fungi in the rotting leaves on the ground glow an eerie green light.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. You will find plants larger than airplanes and smaller than pinheads. sun and soil. Hence the snowcapped peaks above the hot heart of the tropics. the leaves themselves have evolved drip systems to gently convey condensed water to the soil below. some stretch as high as the length of a football field. They shield most of the sun’s light from reaching the forest floor. undiscovered thousands with the most mysterious healing powers. thereby slowing the pace of life in the misty forests below the canopy. plants. As you climb from the flood plains towards the mountainous peaks of the Andes. the life of the jungle is a product of the geology and chemistry of Earth. covering the forest floor with a veil of light like a living Christmas decoration. the clouds inhibit the pace of photosynthesis. You will find plants bearing all manner of fruits. In the steep mountains of the rainforest. rather than the rivers of the basin below. the temperature drops about 1ºF for every 330 feet of elevation. Some individuals are older than the Bible. and are inhabited by thousands of plants and animals of incredible variety. is the same as within the cells of these trees? It should surprise you.

We are not simply killing animals. the slowest turtle and the fastest falcon. with an aquatically adapted fused nose and lip system. The largest animal is the blue whale. Tending the garden's soil are the ants. while many roam only unseen in the black of night. zebras and horses.Animals The fruit of the kingdom of plants is the kingdom of animals. Some are day creatures. and has been recorded at lengths up to 100 feet. and still others are omnivores. Animals are far more sophisticated creatures than plants. there are animals that live in the sky. 150 years. The goldfish. There are tapirs. We are burning the blueprints that made them. It would be impossible for humans to emulate this action.000 new species are added to the list of forms not already included in zoological classifications. One remarkable creature is the basilisk lizard. 41 years. and are only a few hundred atoms in diameter. the sound-navigating bat and the electric eel. distant relatives of rhinos. There are animals that live on the ground. the most gentle kitten and the fiercest tiger. This accommodates their penchant for swimming. 34 years. Each year. the longest life has been about 2 months. but many species possess a potent antibacterial substance on their skins which may hold promise for human disease
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and it is yet more majestic. There are stunningly colored species of frogs. the finest horse and the fattest cow. reaching speeds up to 60 miles per hour. What absolute cosmic majesty! Animals live lives of wildly different durations. many mysteriously disappearing. There are some 10-30 million species of animal on planet Earth. There are animals that live only amongst the branches. there have been the smallest insects. for the cycle of life to continue. In the Amazon. and is used to spray water at attacking dogs. Not only do their skin pigments warn predators of their extreme toxicity. the mecca for animal life is the rainforest.2 million. The tortoise. Yet scientists do not yet know exactly why animals age the way they do. These animals are the gardeners of the forest because they carry leaves into underground chambers. which have not changed in 500 million years. For a housefly. The fastest land animal is the cheetah. because the size. The longest insect is the pharnacia serratipes of Indonesia. A mature community of leaf-cutter ants can have as many as three million members. shape. Of these. the homing pigeon and the childlike dolphin. Some animals eat plants. with one individual found to measure over 110 feet long. The oldest form of animal on Earth are the deep-sea snails. measuring up to 13 inches. 90 years. Living today. There have been the most curious beetles and the most frightening spiders. it's four times heavier than the human brain. we have catalogued only about 1. These colonies play vital roles in returning plant nutrients into the deep soil. never to cross underneath the canopy below. the smallest animals are the chlamydia and rickettsia bacteria. The orca. and yet thousands of species that scurry all over. and power of our legs are not evolved to accommodate such a rapid-fire energy-consuming propulsion task. others only under the soil. and the bright red snake. The cat. also known as the Jesus Christ lizard because of its ability to literally run over water. whose biological powers are remarkable. Thousands of these wondrous forms of creatures face extinction because of the environmental hubris of the human animal. There are 30 pound rodents with webbed feet. The only cold warm-blooded mammal is the Arctic ground squirrel. others eat animals. At 20 pounds. not to eat. The longest authenticated human life in modern times is 120 years. BUT NOT ALTERED
. but to use as food for the fungus gardens they cultivate. The world's largest carnivore – the sperm whale – also has the world's heaviest brain. As with the plant kingdom. and the largest dinosaurs. 10. The longest worm is the bootlace worm. the florescent green frog. On Earth. which can lower its body temperature below freezing.

Across Asia. which has no wings to fly. the chimpanzee. the jaguar is the king cat. alligators. macaws. parrots. we seem to know best the giants of them all. The tiny. grooming. Indeed. The resplendent quetzals. And living in the land of these frogs are thousands of species of insects. jacamars. Hundreds of variety of scurrying mammals inhabit the holes. All of these animals live within and contribute to an incredibly harmonious symphony of biology. A stunning variety of hummingbirds hover amongst the flowering plants of the forests. the boas. Of the exceptional large mammals of the Amazon. and on the forest floor. The nectar drinking. pythons. Most scientific teams have adventured in the jungles for years without single instances of snake bites. being rescued from the brink of extinction by biologists in Brazil. which forages for food in the form of termites exclusively on the forest floor. indicating that the forest remains very much awake. BUT NOT ALTERED
. many of which are colored and patterned so finely matched to their habitat that they are essentially invisible. The vulture's large cousin. feeding. The toucans. looking like they're just fine with an other-than-Atype lifestyle. trogons. and they will take almost anything on. They really don't need to move all that much. These creatures are stunningly beautiful and remarkably human-like. which kill by constriction and consume their prey whole. eagles. The stunning red-haired tamarin. cotingas. threatened of extinction by civil war among homo sapiens animals in Rwanda. countless animals flourish. but has a body shape which allows it glide as much as 165 feet with little loss in altitude. Every animal in Amazonia is a basic part of the ecosystem we call life. flycatchers. and primates of the jungle. The snakes of the rainforest are as amazing as the frogs and lizards. ground doves and wrens. At eye level you will see ant birds. one-pount marmoset. white-faced capuchin monkey. the scarlet-faced uakari. playing with. and cacique birds live among the emergent trees where hawks and vultures also land to perch. the Adean condor. because they can turn their heads in a 270 degree radius. while its lesser cousins exploit both the floor and the canopy. like the vampire bat. Then there are the slow-moving sloths with what you'd swear are permanent smiles on their faces. The macaque. The striking black and white diurnal lemur. and generally loving their children. The most frightening ocular reflections are those of the caiman crocodiles. and other crawling creatures. But one of the most striking snakes is the flying snake. gracefully glides above the trees. And we find the largest ape. we see thousands of pairs of reflecting retinas staring back at us from the deep. the birds are the most beautiful creatures. nooks. And at night. Up in the canopy. The most common deaths resulting from snakebites occur on farms. tanagers. feeding upon the fish. the gorilla.prevention. spiders. For millennia humans have feared the snakes of the jungle. Under the canopy fly the woodpeckers. The swinging orangutan. but it is far
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The face-painted mandrill. Perhaps the most remarkable thing for modern humans to learn from the biota of Earth is that the human may be the most sophisticated Earth-based life form in terms of its collection of capabilities. The howling monkey. large cats dominate the tops of food chains in all major rainforests in the world. There is the giant anteater. and knots of the trees. The cousin to the human. as we shine flashlights into the dark. coral snakes. cobras. The gibbon. and anaconda. But in this elevated paradise. vipers. tinamous. Africa and America are the bushmasters. These carnivores hunt either through stalking or ambush. To the cloud forests large mammals rarely go. but this fear is largely unfounded. live at all strata of the rainforests of Earth. and puffbirds. Tree-dwelling monkeys with hauntingly-human looking faces stare at us through our camera film. The jaguar climbs among the trees and swims among the rivers. peering back from the surface of the dark flowing waters. rattlesnakes. with a wingspan of over 10 feet. and manakins. Scores of species of bats navigate through the dusk. often seen clutching. scorpions. Of course. The primates – the closest large classification of animals to the human. which consumes only the blood of other animals. and mambas.

we know that we are rare in time. Homo sapiens animals refer to themselves individually as "me" and collectively as "we". Regardless of what life may exist outside of Earth. organized in temporal patterns called speech. We have just begun the process of learning about our Cosmos. or even at some point "see" in our mind’s eye? Might we someday be able to reverse this power of observation and "make" reality with imagination alone? Whatever we may see or do in the future. Some plants can live for thousands of years.. long since evolved from seed of the plant that created us. we know that we are unique and special. There are some 6 billion individual homo sapiens animals presently living on Earth.periodicity. Pigeons can home. We can do none of these things. The more truth we perceive. What symphony is life! It is the music of time. We cannot. Human beings are undergoing evolution of the mind as the ability to observe is enhanced through technology and perhaps biology of our own imagination. This sense of prediction exists in the mind alone. yet. Cheetahs can outrun an automobile. we must pause now and look upon the history that I have just briefly described. Possessed with remembered senses and the ability to interpret time -. duration. the music of creation. what secrets of time will we be able to predict. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Some sea life can smell across their entire bodies. Some animals can biologically clone themselves. the better we predict change. and have learned to record these communications through the process of reading and writing. Plants directly convert inorganic chemistry into the food of life. Some animals can walk on water. Human animals have evolved to communicate through physical gestures and vocal sounds.the human has evolved a way to manipulate its future. These are truly majestic. all 15 billion years that we know of. The rapid rise in our ability to acquire truth through observation has. and even then only in the last few thousand years. Some snakes can see infrared light. to have created such beings as we? As you and I evolve to be able to know more through greater and greater powers of observation. for the human is the only animal presently native to Earth that can read and write. We are just as remarkable. The Cosmos has labored for billions of years to produce us. Electric eels can shock. We cannot. what you might call a sixth sense: the ability to see into time – both the past and the future. through hundreds of millions of human generations worth of time.. Bats use sonar to see a vivid image in a pitch black night. Some animals can fly with wings. Our gestation just to the point of reaching homo sapiens has been one of incredible majesty. What wondrous revolutions in the history of worlds must occur when its most advanced beings come into such power? How powerful and sacred must evolution be. with kinds of abilities we would ascribe to science fiction if possessed by a human.from the most sophisticated in terms of its specialized capabilities. Some animals can see in two places at once. We have become a flower. awe-inspiring creatures. And the combination of all human mechanical or electrical technology ever invented pales in comparison to the simple beauty of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. my jaw still drops whenever I consider the majesty of our history. A human's brain is sufficiently advanced for it to be able to correlate observations of itself and its surroundings. given us a most remarkable and I believe physically significant new sense. What an incredibly precious legacy of creation are we! Even though I've known and studied it for years. Some animals can exist in water. for whatever life outer space may hold for us to find. We cannot. Hawks can spot a mouse from hundreds of feet away. as the synthesis of the perception of the past and the imagination of the future. and precision -. in the past 100 years. The human is now made even more remarkably unique because of its rapidly growing ability to learn history and predict the future from knowledge drawn from dramatically enhanced skills and tools of observation – skills such as science and tools such as telescopes. We do not.

Evolution has taught us that only the most robust and stable creations will survive over time. into the distant future? We often ask this question for knowledge recently acquired to be reused soon. let alone a human being. as a species. but almost never do we ask this question with an eye for eternity.a single fish in the sea. The Cosmos simply must have wanted to create beings like us. If we wish to make our distant future the brightest it can be. what are the core principles we must learn from our past in order to flourish in the crucible of billions of years of future evolution? We shall address this question later.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. What other forms of animal are we likely to meet one day as we venture into the Cosmos? What capabilities might they possess which perhaps lay undeveloped or nonexistent in homo sapiens? And how might we acquire such powers? Will it be a natural process. BUT NOT ALTERED
. we must ask ourselves a deeply profound question: what from this distant past of creation do we wish to take with us. or a derivative technology? Both? As we prepare to ask yet the most important questions of our future.

And during just the last lifetime. we’ve enjoyed eight hundred lifetimes. Preparations are underway for an unprecedented test of computing technology at Year 2000. we have seen planes. television. person. 1999. McBrien in his book Catholicism has related in striking metaphor the radical degree to which human history has changed in the last tiny fraction of our human existence. The first "city in space" is under construction. Confrontation of superpower and dictator has the world watching.
Look at the headlines seriously this past week. event. transistors.. He notes that if the last fifty thousand years were divided into periods of sixty-two year life spans." We traveled by camel caravan before the Christian era. Perhaps the most haunting and emotive
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Only during the last seventy lifetimes has it been possible to communicate through the written word. Rise and fall of modern national economies abroad troubles the world. and computers. which pushed human travel to 20 mph. Uneasy truce remains between Catholic and Protestant. were slower still. A single European currency has begun its life. these were the issues: The White House and Congress are locked in battle over the significance of the President's lies about his sex life told while under the oath of truth. it had taken this hominid species millions of years to be able to communicate with each other and travel to each other. microchips. As McBrien notes.. we reached speeds of 100 mph. Brutal weather patterns and systems continue to circle the globe. BUT NOT ALTERED
. By the latter part of the nineteenth century. jets. In mid January. and radio telescopes and space probes with the capacity to send and receive messages to the outer reaches of space. telephones. and space travel with astronauts and space capsules and the capacity to reach Neptune and one of its moons. rockets. Richard P. at about eight miles per hour. telegraph. Steam locomotion of the early nineteenth century allowed speed of only thirteen miles per hour. and send back computer-enhanced photographs from celestial bodies at the edge of our solar system. with improvements in the steam engine. every concept. and only during the last six lifetimes has the human community had access to the printed word.
You are participating in all of this. This form of travel was common for just under eight thousand years. "Six-hundred and fifty were spent in caves. and the Internet. and consequence as the Cosmos unfolds time. Peace or war between Arab and Jew to be determined by election. Spacecraft are heading out to survey asteroids and physically examine the polar caps of Mars. in the history of civilization. radio. Observe the magnitude of the issues in play. Then. headline.EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION. before and after. we have seen the rise of literacy. until the chariot. in a revolution during the last part of the last one of our eight hundred lives of the last fifty thousand years. and the sailing ships.

of all advancements in communications recorded in our lifetime are the images from the Hubble Space Telescope -. There have always been VCR's. or the Tampa Bay Lightning "expansion teams. By that reckoning. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. the last in 2400 human generations over 50. Bottle caps have not only always been screw off. They have always had cable. de plane!". They never heard the terms "Where's the beef?". the San Jose Sharks. and blue ones are not new. The Facts of Life. Silver Spoons. The Globe Democrat. the Minnesota North Stars. but they have no idea what Beta is. what is the state of mind of our newest generation. the Ottawa Senators. They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.S. not a movie. Zip codes have always had a dash in them. and Tienamin Square means nothing to them. the Minnesota Lakers.humanity’s first clear-vision eye peering into the secret places of the history of the heavens. The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old. There has only been one Pope. the Atlanta Flames.R. the New Orleans Jazz.A. They have only known one Germany. or the Denver Rockies (NHL hockey. but chances are they probably have never actually seen or heard one. They have never seen and remember a game that included the St.000 years? Circling recently on the Internet was a simplistic but wonderful answer to this question. What do you mean there used to be beige ones? They may have heard of an 8-track. There have always been red M&M's. and the special effects are pathetic.R. They can only really remember reading about one president. The people who left high school last spring across the U. nor have they seen a black and white TV. Their lifetime has always included AIDS. Clearly we live in an important time. They do not consider the Colorado Rockies. as do vinyl albums. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Pan AM or Ozark Airlines. "I'd walk a mile for Camel". They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged. let us resolve further to human generations. They were born the year that the Walkman was introduced by Sony. "The Day After" is a pill to them. M. for simplicity’s sake let’s say averaging just over 20 years from time one gives birth to the next.S. They have no idea what a pull top can looks like. but have always been plastic. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. The Love
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. stamps have always cost about 32 cents. They never had a Polio shot and likely do not know what it is. and have no idea who J. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. The Cosby Show. The New Deal is most likely a rebate on a new VW Beetle. They have never heard of King Cola. They never took a swim petrified by the idea of Jaws. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era and did not know he had ever been shot." They have never seen Larry Bird play. They are too young to remember the Space shuttle blowing up. They do not know who Momar Qadafi is. CCCP is just a bunch of letters. and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a football player. adapted below. the Florida Marlins. is. Louis Football Cardinals. They have never feared a nuclear war. left in the minds of its children? Instead of McBrian’s yardstick of time at 800 lifetimes in 62 year units. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. the bastion of Western idealism. Rollerskating has always meant inline for them.H. the Baltimore Colts. The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno. Burger Chef. WWII or even the Civil War. They have never owned a record player. Popcorn has always been cooked in a microwave. Atari pre-dates them. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels. They do not care who shot J. As far as they know. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War. that is). Black Monday 1987 is as significant to them as the Great Depression. They have always had an answering machine. They don’t enjoy playing Pac Man and have never heard of Pong. were born in 1980. the Florida Panthers. the Kansas City Kings. But what knowledge of history has the culture of the United States. Star Wars looks very fake.. or "de plane.

or even being in one. perhaps through some of our greatest crises. Miami Vice. subtle. let it be your clue to the vast. brightest. not groups. Ungrounded in technical history they may be. if they even know why they should. They have the least desire for amassing wealth since their great-grandparents’ generation. incidentally. Fewer still have any recollection of the basis for the Cold War. Very few have felt the deep emotion from the hand-me-down memories of World War II and the Holocaust. this new generation is the most innately conscious of all before it. they'll be part of the workforce. best and worst that western marketing can offer. as the very skeletal and nervous system of our future civilization. McDonalds never came in Styrofoam containers. Let us teach these young men and women well. biggest. To the older generation. valuable and potent new advanced culture now leaping up on its own two feet. Despite all this noise. Sometimes the best advances can come only after funerals for arthritic minds. a megabit over a cable modem. work and socialize. and Taxi are shows they have likely never seen. They have an intuitive concern for the world. I hope college teaches them well. at 400Mhz and at 28. America and Alabama are places. They have no desire for war. tastiest. dress. It has been barraged with the loudest. They cannot remember the Cardinals ever winning a World Series.Boat. on widescreen. Chicago. And in four years. It is this new generation that will carry our world into the future. eat. Michael Jackson has always been white. this new generation is more resonant with the soft. Almost none can personally relate the two World Wars together. with digital fidelity. a concern that leaves some depressed. WKRP in Cincinnati. Kansas. The Titanic was found? They didn't know it was lost. all delivered in THX sound. Their culture reveals it in the way they talk. others lost. Boston. the lucky few of the people who don't know these things will be in college this year. Neither do they admire Churchill as a hero. or perhaps because of it. The term appeasement doesn’t ring a bell for them. Most of them feel powerless in a society where the only thing that seems to have power is money. if you don’t know what those words mean. most. true qualities of life than any before. Do you feel old now? Remember. and a few motivated like crazy to save the Earth from humanity. for we are entrusting the future of the world to them. BUT NOT ALTERED
. which. or even better. and hopefully into the grandest of discoveries. foulest.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. certainly through some of our most painful challenges. distinguishing or even remembering their teachings for the future of the world.8Kbps. strongest. was in the previous 62-year life span. or better yet 56. and humanity’s future across the Cosmos. some on a returning path to religion.

the starvation of five million Ukrainians during Stalin's forced collectivization. It formally began on January 30. However. One Einsatzgruppen unit reportedly killed 6. Adolf Hitler and this top three henchmen.. 1945 . It should be so.. our best protection is that we in fact live in eternity. the Nazis merely excluded 'undesirables' from society and forcibly induced them to leave the country. Let us revisit several of the more painful ones. H. Himmler. many lessons over the past several millennia. Himmler. in no other case have the efficiencies of the modern industrial age been put to such diabolical use as in Germany under Hitler. for in reference to the slaying of six million Jews.VE Day." -. "These groups were called Einsatzgruppen. and continued over twelve years to May 8. but eventually turned into the field arm of the Nazi death machine. and although 'Bolshevik leaders' were supposedly their major target. According to the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal on War Crimes. There have been many conflicts among regimes in history where loss of life has been comparable or even larger in simple numbers.
Holocaust is a term of enormous gravity to a huge portion of the world. Initially. the murder of 1. and most recently the killing of one million Tutsi by the Hutu in Rwanda. women and children. who had witnessed an execution. expressly formed to kill Bolshevik sympathizers. was upset at the sight of women and children being killed in this way. The Nazis' ideology of racial purity and superiority coupled with their hatred and intolerance of 'others' spurned their actions forward. Other victims were 'Asiatic inferiors. Auden.400 Polish mentally-challenged patients.
"Against his paralyzing smile and honest realistic style. The war in Russia saw the formation of four SS units of 3. The systematic persecution of Jews and other undesirables started immediately upon the Nazi rise to power. such as the massacre of one million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.W. WE GROW MORE DANGEROUS. it's safe to say you would agree that humanity has learned. There have been numerous acts of inhumanity in the 20th Century. however imperfectly. Goering and Goebbles. were the architects of the atrocity of the Holocaust. this leader created a system of murder never before witnessed in the history of the world.. altogether in the Soviet Union the SS killed two million men. Most were shot.000 men each. for no reason other than hatred. lessons entrusted to progeny through the oral and written history of our ancestors.5 million Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge regime. 1933 when Hitler became chancellor of Germany. in reference to the devil Whether you believe in a God or not. so he ordered another method: they were put in gas vans so constructed that at the start of the motor the exhaust was conducted
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. These mobile units were ultimately responsible for the death of over two million Jews and other 'undesirables'.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. there are few crimes against life that compare. According to Stephen Ambrose.EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION.' gypsies and 'useless eaters' such as mentally ill or terminally ill people. in New History of World War II. most of the victims were Jews. but very few such catastrophes can compare in depth of evil to the systematized and ruthlessly calculated machine of death constructed by Adolf Hitler. Rising from the ashes of the first world war and the Great Depression to be the Furher of Germany.

The Final Solution called for the extermination of all Jews and other 'undesirables' at six major death camps in Poland. The numbers of dead among European Jewry can be traced to census records and Nazi official tallies presented during the Nuremberg trials. which looked like a high school gym. Endlosung. After a minute or two of screaming that no one except the other victims heard. they too were sent to the chambers.000 Red Army prisoners sent to the camp only 96 survived. causing death in ten to fifteen minutes. Just outside the gas chambers. Sobibor.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." Exact statistics for the actual total number of human beings exterminated in various programs during the war are difficult to arrive at. and the sick were sent to an immediate death.000 were gassed. In total 5. for delousing purposes. Belzec.000 Hungarian Jews sent to Auschwitz. as the Nazis destroyed many records. only 65. Guards threw open the doors and began shouting at the Jews to get out and line up. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Concerns over the effectiveness of the operation. there was silence.often for days that the dead could not fall down. and in an attempt to keep this operation secret from both the Jewish population and the world led to the search for another solution. the Jews were ordered to strip and told they were going to take showers. The ashes of the dead went to farmers to enrich their soil. was made effective at the Wansee Conference in 1942. The brutal conditions at the camp ensured that precious few humans survived. as opposed to those were exterminated upon arrival. the disabled.often Poles and sometimes Jews. After clearing the gas from the room. of 350.129 or 60% of the pre-war European Jewish population were killed during the Holocaust.entered and pulled gold teeth. Of the 405. always under extreme duress . The Final Solution was the brainchild of Reinhard Heydrich and executed with brutal efficiency by Adolf Eichmann. They were marched to an SS doctor who made a visual scan and pointed either to the gas chamber or to the labor camps. inmates . Auschwitz .was expanded into a labor and death camp. field morale in both the civilian and military personnel. The task completed. 250.built originally as a POW camp in summer 1941 . 10. and tore open anuses and vaginas of the cadavers to probe for hidden jewelry. arrived regularly at the Auschwitz siding. and Treblinka. old people.000 registered prisoners. Of the total of 16.796. They were herded into the chamber. The Final Solution.Birkenau. the door was sealed shut and cyanide gas was pumped into the room through showerheads. young children. between 20 and 40 percent were sent to the labor camps where they remained until. Auschwitz . "Trainloads of Jews in sealed boxcars. pregnant women. and their hair saved for stuffing for mattresses and the like. Infants. Once they were packed in. Majdanek. In one brutally efficient two-month period in March 1944. Chelmno. Over the course of 1944.into the van. or in other cases kept none at all. the bodies were taken by handcart to the crematory furnaces. between two and four million Jews and another two million non-Jews had been gassed by the time the Red Army liberated the camp in late 1944.000 survived. In total.000 Jewish lives were extinguished each day. First they were shaved. too weak to work any longer. packed so tightly for so long without food or water .

it was obvious.was completely bizarre." a "jewel of the devil" that he righteously "smashed at the smeltering house at Darien.The American Holocaust There are perhaps a few other holocausts in recent history which can compare in depth of evil. whose foremost catalysts included Da Vinci." Since the Tairona were not Christian. and in 1526 de Bastides founded Santa Marta. an uneasy truce. it was only the restraint of Christian virtue that kept them from "unnatural acts. what the Indians had been up to at those nightly assemblies. Renaissance Europe began a period of ascendancy. For hundreds of years. Trading posts quickly emerged. pregnant with anger and anguish. on orders from his king. In the remarkable words of the very thoughtful ethnobotanist. From experience the Spaniards recognized that when their own sailors and soldiers spent long hours together." Such graphic depictions of sodomy confirmed their deepest suspicions. Few in numbers. and they strike painfully close to home. Juan Guiral Velon. the Spaniard Rodrigo de Bastides had reached the coast of South America. they were nevertheless scandalized by the phallic and sexual representations that formed a significant motif in Tairona ceramics and gold work. This cultural and intellectual rebirth also provided the philosophical and moral justification for horrendously evil actions. Hungry for gold. structures. and irrigation systems of amazing complexity. political and religious stability of late mediaeval Europe. This rebirth gave the Europeans the scientific and technical means to act on a strongly emerging economic motive. one of the most advanced of the Indian societies. as newly acquired power often does. Michelangelo. both cultured through mastery of the seas. late fifteenth century Europe chose to remap the globe. obsessed as they were with jurisprudence. was their gold work. when through the Pope's authority the newly discovered territories were divided between Spain and Portugal. The Tairona valued peace even as they retreated further into the hinterland. Europe launched a massive rape of the new world. When in 1599 Santa Marta's new governor. The Tairona had transformed the slopes of their mountains establishing roads. which was to last well into the 20th century. Galileo. fueling the Age of Discovery. now a part of the modern nation of Colombia. It was known that Tairona men gathered regularly in large ceremonial temples. but the Spaniards made no systematic attempt to destroy the Tairona. always had an excuse . Gutenberg. however. Wade Davis. With the power of weapons and global mapmaking. As a time and place of flowering for human civilization. often for nocturnal rituals that lasted until dawn and excluded women.and the Spanish. Moving westward towards the snowcapped mountains soaring into the clouds. at least to the Spanish. or at least most remarked. in his book One River: "There was conflict and rebellion. quality. axes and metal tools for gold." In 1501. among the most beautiful produced in the Americas. The chronicler Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo described a gold piece weighing twenty pesos that depicted "one man mounted on another in that diabolical act of Sodom. and to grow rich as all men desire to do. he did so charged with the certainty that all of his enemies were homosexual. Their excuse . It was not until the end of the sixteenth century that the Spaniards launched a campaign of annihilation. The cultural and scientific rebirth. as Europe's conquest of the last preserve of Eden swept across the continent. The subsequent struggle was as violent and brutal as any recorded in the Americas. trading fish and salt. Perhaps their most remarkable. they were initially content to control the coast. found a receptive home in the relative economic. to give light to those who sat in darkness. One Spanish historian wrote that what they sought was "To serve God and His Majesty. undertook the final destruction of the Tairona. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Santa Marta soon became a center of trade. Tairona priests were
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and death by enslavement and disease. and Copernicus. he met the Tairona. hung over the northern coast.

colonization and settlement of North America forever altered the evolution of Native American civilizations. shattered temples. In the midst of the carnage. it was disease that was the greatest European killer. "or if you maliciously delay in doing so. Marching inland. the children of Europe were raping North America too. Prisoners were crucified or hung from metal hooks stuck through their ribs. The diseases introduced by the Europeans had the greatest immediate impact. wiping out virtually all of the populations of the Caribbean. empty coast of ruined settlements. a standard legal document exhorting the heathen to accept the true faith. which were introduced to the American southwest by the Spanish. In the end the entire Tairona population was either dead or given over as slaves to the soldiers as payment for their services. When the Spaniards took the Tairona settlement of Masinga. Recited in Spanish without translation. Women were garroted. and I will take your possessions and do all the harm and damage that I can." The Spaniards were true to their word. At the same time. the capital of the Aztec empire. sustenance and wealth. had a largely positive impact. forever changing the way of life of the plains Indians. Rather than an equitable mingling of cultures and societies. However. That great city was twice the size of Spain's largest city. Tennessee and Ohio River valleys. Exploration in the 16th century by the Spanish. Indeed. But flee they did . "If you do not accept the faith. To ensure the legality of their deeds. ears. and as such I will sell and dispose of them as their majesties may order. which were almost completely depopulated due to the disease spread by DeSoto's expeditions. The Native American civilizations were simply not equipped to resist or even absorb the successive waves of migration.drawn and quartered. English and Dutch introduced new elements to tribal societies. French. before each military action Velon's captains read aloud in the presence of a notary public the famous Requirement. children branded and enslaved. BUT NOT ALTERED
. decimating much of a native population which heretofore had never been exposed to them and consequently had no immunity." the text read. In Santa Marta. Native American culture and society was largely displaced and destroyed by disease. Velon attempted to vanquish an entire civilization. with no hope of revival. Those Indians who survived were expected to pay the costs of their pacification.a tragic diaspora that brought thousands into the high mountains." Seven years before Rodrigo de Bastides found Santa Marta. the horse and trade with the Europeans profoundly impacted Native American civilization across much of North America. their severed heads displayed in iron cages. the Spaniards never forgot their ultimate mission. On pain of death they were prohibited from bearing arms or retiring into the Sierra Nevada. never has the impact been so profound as to depopulate an entire continent of 90% of its population. they became great nomadic hunters
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Inca and Aztec Indian populations as well. and fields overgrown with thorn scrub and ultimately redeemed by the forest. leaving behind a desolate. war and migration. Horses. and will subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of their majesties and take your women and children as slaves. and lips of every adult. This was especially evident in the civilizations along the Mississippi. every field burned and sown with death. anytime there has been a conflict between cultures over land. it was but a prelude to slaughter. I certify that with God's help I will advance powerfully against you and make war on you wherever and however I am able. With the horse. Disease. This pattern has occurred many times through the millennia. European exploration. Velon ordered his troops to sever the noses. Indians absurdly accused of sodomy were disemboweled by fighting dogs in obscene public spectacles. Those who escaped and were recaptured had their Achilles tendons sliced or a leg cut off. Cortes had stood in awe of the beauty of Tenochtitlan. Every village was destroyed.

The colonies were important contributors to European economies and were consequently involved in every major European war of the time..this inferior native population. by which the latter gives way to the former. Thus. By 1900.. Less arbitrary were the changes which came with the establishment of trading posts along the great river valleys and the settlements along the eastern seaboard. Over 15. With the expansion westward into river valley's and ultimately into the Plains..(The United States) will occupy the entire extent of America. poverty. These settlements and trading relationships set the pattern for waves of displacement that were to characterize the interaction between natives and Europeans across the following four centuries. siding with one European nation against both European and Native enemies in a desperate fight to preserve their territory and way of life. The notion that the natives were inferior justified the settlers rights to take and settle the land with little regard for the Native American lives.. the majestic and humble Native American way of life was further demeaned through the 20th century. as Native Americans were reduced to living on governmentpoliced reservations. Consequently.000 Cherokees were forced to migrate to the Indian territories in Oklahoma. Of those a little over 2/3 survived the journey. With the consolidation of power along the eastern seaboard. and the gradual elevation of man to the dignity and glory of the promised millennial day. ". but to no avail. must be gradually supplanted. the rich and fertile plains of Asia. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The attitude of European settlers in America is described by Reginald Horseman in Race and Manifest Destiny." The "Trail of Tears" episode perhaps best exemplifies the government-sanctioned effort to displace the native population in favor of American settlers. The young nation articulated a philosophy for what it saw was its divine right to consolidate its hold and to expand and settle westward into Native American land. European politics played a key role in the colonial expansion of the 17th and 18th centuries.. Numerous wars were fought. With each lost battle and with each treaty. Indian populations began to realize that the territorial hunger of the Europeans would not be sated. Manifest Destiny for the Native American population proved to be a destiny of enslavement. of the ultimate enlightenment of the whole earth. together with the intermediate isles of the sea. This was to be a losing battle. The American Revolution would ultimately create a new chapter in this struggle as the young nation sought to control all the land in its domain.dependent upon the great bison herds of the Plains for their way of life. and that great law of contact between a higher and a lower race. death and cultural extermination. the struggle continued. and treaties broken as the natives sought to halt the migration westward and preserve their way of life.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and its place occupied by this highest of races. as a result of amalgamation. in fulfillment of the great purpose of heaven. the taking of the bulk of the American continents would be complete. tribes were involved in many European conflicts.

A system of total war. each other’s major trading partner. the culture of imperial war turned inward on itself. Unlike the wars before and after. including the civilian economic and social infrastructure of the opponent. distinctions between combatants and non-combatants. England and Germany. finite "battlefield. As one might with hindsight expect. The mentality of empire building was confronted with the constraints of Earth’s surface area. Germany into both depression and the greatest inflation the modern world has ever seen. linked historically by history. A contemporary English writer noted that. civilians and soldiers. The First World War was an accidental war. "the lights are going out all over Europe. the Second World War was a war of naked aggression where something much closer to battles between good and evil actually occurred. whatever the individual valor and the quality of generalship on the weaker side. a naval arms race. battles occurred resulting in mass slaughter never before seen. with the unfortunate. honed through centuries of conquest. seemed necessary. or failing that. and by monarchial intermarriage. driven by technology that made it possible. the world plunged into a deep depression. Within the 20th century. After a brief respite. legal restraints to prevent war. continued in the hearts of European nations. To a limited degree. Now. With the advent of trench warfare and machine guns. were obliterated: institutions for the peaceful resolution of disputes were ignored or destroyed. The war-guilt clause of the Versailles Treaty was the final element necessary for a mad genius of manipulation to come to power in a Germany roiling in tumult which never came to rest since the advent of the First World War. Hence. was a mild harbinger of the horror of the next century. laws of engagement designed to limit war to a discernable. Unlike the First World War. neutral nations and belligerents. The power of defensive positions with increasingly accurate rifles became apparent. cutting a miles-wide swath of civilian destruction through the heart of Confederacy. The economies and the societies of all the major participants were catastrophically damaged. The genocidal slaughter suffered by Russia and the chaos that followed birthed the Bolshevik Revolution. A war of attrition appeared. the lights never came on upon the society that entered the war. to make its effects less savage and all-pervasive. and totally groundless entrance into the First World War. an alliance system which invited pugnacious smaller states to involve the major states in a war which could never result in anything but catastrophe." all were lost. Nevertheless. and they will not come on again in our time. limitations upon armaments. BUT NOT ALTERED
. unplanned. the seeds of the Second World War were clearly planted in the first great struggle. territorial aggrandizement didn’t seem to be a major declared factor. Each state was exhausted. making war on an entire society. and finally. some of these elements began as sinister portents of the fate of the next century in America’s Civil War. lurched into war driven by their own fears. the originating militaristic tendencies. Sherman’s "March to the Sea". occurred as Europe fought two civil wars in the same century which came to involve the entire world. The major imperial systems of governments that plundered the Americas fell. Political and military leadership among the participants never reached the high point of mediocrity. where economic resources became irresistible factors in determining success.A Century of Total War As war was coming to a close in America. but each feared. then seemingly frightened by their own projection. tanks and massed mobile artillery would allow for an extended front to sweep back and forth
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." In fact. rendering almost inevitable a re-engagement of most of the same powers in another war more terrible than the first. responding to stereotypes of the other that they themselves had largely created. language. Neither faction was economically advantaged. It would not end until November 1989. each side acted upon their own self-fulfilling fearful prophecies about the other. a war none of the major powers wanted. Acting on those fears.

were now exhausted shells of their former selves. and frequently in hot wars between surrogates of the two super powers. Finally. our well-being. Our advantage. interrupted by Japanese attacks on Manchuria and then throughout China. Fifty million people died. and as potential instruments of global destruction if ever. sought and protected. A Cold War commenced as unlikely allies. A numerical nuclear arms race between the superpowers commenced. or design. Other wars. again in the same century lost 10% of her population. The existence of nuclear. ending the last great imperial system to survive World War I. normally to be avoided. The Cold War was born. Civilian casualties for the first time exceeded military losses. a horizontal nuclear arms race began among the previously non-nuclear states. The century of total war was at its end. served at once as deterrents to full-scale global war. espionage. the Chinese civil war. war was the norm. This war was punctuated by dozens of hot wars. sometimes several times. miscalculation. now fully worldwide. as his predecessors had done so brutally decades before in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. the Soviet empire crumbled in all of Eastern Europe. Mass bombing of civilian centers of population occurred by day and night. peace was the norm. The natural condition is that of peace. and covert undermining of governments thought to be sympathetic with the enemy. The United States and its European allies saw this extension of brutal totalitarian dictatorship as an atrocity in itself. the Berlin wall fell. previously the world’s most powerful. and Russia. the Second World War ended with the advent of the nuclear age and the use of the only nuclear weapons ever employed in war. Where previously. the result of the reimposition after World War II of the last vestiges of European colonialism and imperial power. devastating huge areas of the continent. This was joined by a technological arms race which always threatened to allow one or the other superpower somehow to leap beyond the opponent and tempt one or the other to accept the suicidal proposition that such advantage might allow one side actually to fight and "win" a nuclear war. highly valued. was defined as that which threatened or made more precarious the well-being of our enemy. and the contagion of freedom swept through the Soviet Union. manifest always in the mind. the holocaust: Hitler’s nearly successful effort to exterminate European Jewry. With the decision in November 1989 of President Gorbachev not to intervene in genuine national uprisings in Eastern Europe. assassination of political and military leadership of the enemy. a portent of an intention to extend Soviet power throughout Europe. punctuated by covert and overt actions of sabotage. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Finally. where the ultimately critical battles of the Second World War were fought. The Cold War introduced war of the mind: the definition of our national interest and identity negatively determined by the existence of the enemy. war became the "natural condition". broke apart under the fears and the naked extensions of power by the former allies against each other. most prominently Vietnam. Whole generations of people never really knew a condition of peace. The natural assumption of "a state of war" is that it is a highly unnatural condition resulting from desperate and unique conditions necessitating the resort to violence. now. Soviet Russia. including both Asia and Europe. Now.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. dropped by the United States upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some of these were resumptions of wars of national liberation against colonial governments. and then thermonuclear weapons. more threatening. and. the collapse of the Soviet Union under the weight of its own monstrous bureaucratic and totalitarian structure allowed respite. by accident. forced together by the threat of Hitler’s Germany. resumed with the triumph of Chinese Communism. extending outward the number of nuclear states able to trigger a nuclear conflagration. The greatest crime and sin of the twentieth century occurred in this context. were clearly fought between surrogates or proxies of the two superpowers which emerged from a Europe in which the other states of Europe. even though legally and diplomatically a condition of peace and diplomatic relations and recognition existed between the superpower and the target state. We entered an age of perpetual war of the mind. attempted to secure Eastern European border states as satellites and allies to buffer them against yet a third assault on the motherland in the same century from Germany. at least until a later economic recovery.throughout Europe. they should be used. a creature of World War I. With awesome portent for any later world war. In Asia.

military. We have fought wars over every religious difference imaginable. We have fought wars over the color of skin.Once started. It is in mis-interpretations of religious teachings on every nation's part that humanity has killed the most combatants and civilians alike. BUT NOT ALTERED
. But the most common ideology employed to justify war is the precisely the one least able to do so: faith. mines. will we not engage and enforce the most solemn "prime directive" to intelligently interact with a foreign biosphere? We in the United States of America must remember that it was our ancestors who came from Europe to plunder the Americas. no wars would ever have been fought. islands. and yet a rational mind strains to find scriptural basis for any religion's god declaring an offensive warmaking intent. The Century of Total War cost uncountable hundreds of millions of lives and resulted in the political. and the cumulative personal experiences of great loss. We have fought wars over political structures. This superstructure now begs to be dismantled and its energies and funding redirected into defensive functions and peace-keeping operations. can now equip humanity with the ability to see the ugly truth of this. perhaps only the fighting of these frightening wars. and seas. wars have been given intellectual justification in the creation of a myth of inherent distinction of rights to freedom among groups of intelligent beings. The best human decision-makers could not reasonably control the past. We have fought wars over economics. We have fought wars over cultural rituals. And we have fought wars for no identifiable reason at all other than vague fear. given their knowledge. The momentum of hatred founded in utter lie had been energized and would run its genetic course. The roots of 20th century military conflict stemming from politicallybased ideological hatred were sown in war guilt and wallowed in the pain of an economic depression. The Nature of Human War Throughout recorded history. however confidently invoked by "inspired" leaders. When we do one day discover or receive the means to voyage to other worlds across the heavens. and industrial superstructure to facilitate wars over ideology.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. But. each of these wars had to be fought. oil. We have fought wars because we could not communicate with the "enemy". Had there been integrity to the history of core spiritual teachings rather than interpretive dogma. The lessons of what happened must never be forgotten. water. We've fought wars over rivers. to touch other verdant continents and valleys and oceans.

On the estates of the wealthy. BUT NOT ALTERED
. estate managers. the New World. Indians. criminals. The indigenous peoples of the Americas and the coastal regions of West Africa practiced slavery as well. They also served many bureaucratic functions such as scribes. a neutral Aegean and sacked it. they often envision slavery involving blacks and native peoples in the Americas between the latter part of the 15th century during early European colonization. Western civilization best exemplifies this. It is likely that indentured servitude has been a part of world society as long as war and trade have existed between differing peoples. Some estimates suggest that slaves accounted for close to one third of the Athenian population. House servants were typically all under the direction of the woman of the house. the slave population was composed of prisoners taken in battle. after we are gone. Persians. executing all men of military age and selling the women into slavery. Slavery was hardly unique to the United States. up to the late 19th century and the end of the US Civil War. clerks and accountants. During their brief period of imperialism the Athenians used more direct methods. farmers. a chattel similar to a farm animal or pet. especially of women. then humanity's most heinous silent cultural choice has been the toleration of enslavement. In 416 BC. and now we know that you and anyone else as strong as we are would do as we do." -. Babylonians. abandoned children. Some of these houses had as many as 10-20 slaves. and we know that men. faced with a crisis in the Athenian economy. Slaves performed a variety of tasks. or what is considered western civilization and culture. Only the poorest and most wretched of Athenians were without slaves. These practices were supported worldwide for centuries. instituted laws that cancelled debts of the enslaved and repealed the laws allowing debtors and their families to be sold into slavery. Another is that a slave is something less than human. We did not make that law nor were we the first to act on it. From this point on. Kidnapping. It is well known that the ancient Chinese. an expedition landed on Melos. When Western humans think of slavery.105
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and tutors. by a natural law. the wife or eldest daughter of the owner. It is remarkable that an institution that existed for thousands of years should in little more than a century be abolished and considered wrong in the eyes of God and the laws of man. Nevertheless. At one time slaves administered the police and treasury. In the earliest times period. Greeks. which gives hope for our continued social evolution.An End to Slavery? If holocaust and war are the relatively loud and declared crimes of humanity. This is a profound change. the last governments officially abandoning slavery as recently as 1962. The definition of slavery varies with culture and time period. always rule where they are stronger. One common point of view in slave societies is that ownership of one person by another is perfectly right and natural. they were household servants. they said: "We believe that Heaven. to be used and disposed of as needed. there are attributes common to all slave-owning cultures and to all definitions of slavery.Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5. Nor was it restricted to this time period. As justification. Athenians relied on non-Greeks for slaves. we found it existing and it will exist forever. Athenians (often children) bartered for debt. In 570 BC. Both science and religion have taught us nothing if not this fact. Romans. The leader Solon. importing them from around the Aegean through regular trade. The first known western slave society was the Hellenic culture of Athens in during the 6th through 3rd century BCE . Slaves were the artisans and craftsmen of Athens. Egyptians. These differences have made cross-cultural and temporal studies of slavery difficult. and Arabs practiced some form of slavery. was common. Ownership of human chattel was a central characteristic of the slave society’s socio-economic way of life and cultural development.

debtors. Rome had gained an accidental empire. This was hazardous work and often ended in the death of the slave. The few that were spared were ushered off in chains. But most of the citizens who had stayed within the walls of Rome were vastly unaffected and saw the destruction as an economic opportunity. slaves were not considered citizens. a different look and languages stood out and were easier to capture if they escaped. Dozens would be maintained to run the households of the aristocracy. until conquest by Phillip of Macedonia at the battle of Chaeronea in 338 put an end to their way of life. with all its territories from North Africa to Spain subjugated and turned into Roman Provinces. There were many able hands available. Piracy. as naval oarsmen and in rural field labor. and surrounding lands salted to insure that Carthage would never rise again. more and more of the population were considered slaves. In the cities. Carthage was beaten. Athenian imperial power would be broken at the end of the Peloponnesian War in 371 BC. although they developed a pseudo-marriage known as countubernium that had no legal status. slaves were a principal source of the prosperity of Athens. though the latter died out in the later Republic as the number of foreign slaves increased. the entire city was put to the sword. Their social system would continue for another forty years. it is
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Like Athens. Many once-able farmers and artisans found themselves without work. Their masters chose their names. public slaves were hired as bureaucrats and functionaries. The Roman civilization between about the 2nd century BC and the 4th century AD would be the next western culture to develop a slave society. Thieves. As the empire developed. Slaves also served as servants. kidnapping and the selling of newborns were also common. They wouldn’t have to. and no way to support themselves. Early Rome was little more than a collection of farmers. who had aligned themselves with Carthage while Hannibal laid waste to much of Italy. While there were laws that protected slaves against the vilest abuses. Non-Greek slaves were barely considered human. were subjugated and enslaved. murderers and those who avoided military service would end up as slaves. Anyone captured and taken prisoner by a hostile people.The life of a slave was not easy. With much of the farms and towns outside the Rome destroyed. Most of this grueling work was done in chains and perceived slackers were quickly beaten or killed outright. would become a slave. Merchants and aristocrats quickly bought up the land that had been ravaged. Romans preferred to use foreign slaves when they were available. Slaves were not allowed to marry. There were a number of ways people became slaves. In the conquered lands. The hardest labors were in the mines. When Carthage later defied Rome’s order to move its inhabitants inland. craftsmen and laborers which developed into a loose knit society. though there was the notion that they might be raised from their baseness. the mentally disturbed. By the 1st century. It is a pattern that would be repeated in the Americas. tending to the needs of running the city. They had no way of working the vast acreage themselves. regardless of citizenship. musicians and artisans. then the child was a slave as well. It was not unusual for criminals. This provided leisure time for the aristocrats to develop what we now call “the roots of Western civilization”. the military and their sponsors did the same. cooks. The city was leveled. The conflict with Carthage and the result of the Punic and Greek wars would change all that. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The Greeks. People who were far from home. If a child’s mother was a slave. In contrast to how they were treated under Athenian law. Children born of female slaves were automatically slaves. By the end of 202 BC. with no family. and slaves who have fallen out of favor with their masters to be selected to crew ships or work mines.

No act was too small to take notice.000 slaves were crucified and placed along the Appian Way as a reminder of what awaited the rebellious slave. Over the years. any hint of uprising would be dealt with swiftly and brutally. In 61 BCE Pedanius Secundus was killed by one of his slaves. Thus. Spanish and English just as well. The slaves were exchanged for weapons and exotic goods. British and French Caribbean. hogs or any other economic livestock. all 400 of his slaves were put to death in order to frighten others from following the example. At first they raided the African coastlines for slaves. the Portuguese and Spanish were moving into the Americas and establishing their colonies. As a result. 5% to the Dutch. At first. depopulating whole regions of Africa and decimating entire tribes. Romans developed an early fear that their slaves were going to revolt and slaughter their masters. it is estimated that 9-10 million African slaves were shipped to the Americas. During the years between 1500 and 1867 when the slave trade was abolished. but it became clear they could do much better by trading with the coastal tribes. This system would last in the West until the end of the middle ages. But the best known and documented of slave societies were those of the so-called New World. Slaves were captured inland by Africans and brought to the coast for sale. Swedish and Danish colonies and 7% for what eventually became the United States. Of all the proto-American slave societies. At least another 2-3 million did not survive enslavement. In 1800. similar to cattle. On some of the Caribbean islands. or serfs who were tied to the land. though that number decreased rapidly with the end of the slave trade and a program of free immigration by the government to draw in more Europeans. At their time. sugar plantations were considered among the world’s most profitable enterprises with returns ranging from about 10 to 20%. the number of slaves ranged from more than a third in Cuba to some 90 percent in Jamaica. a vast and complex slave network developed to feed the demands for labor. In most of the New World. Antigua and Grenada. About 2/3 of all slaves shipped over ended up in sugar colonies. In 1445. When the Spartacus rebellion was crushed in 71 BCE. sometimes ranging between five or ten slaves to each free person. About 41% went to Brazil. transport of slaves to the New World was primarily a Portuguese enterprise. European diseases were ravaging the native populations and the harsh climate took its toll on Europeans colonists. The work was highly demanding and required extreme amounts of labor. due to growing numbers and their masters' brutal treatment. external slaves became harder to come by. The slaves were examined. In the later years. At the beginning of the 16th century. The Europeans found the perfect solution: African slaves. They had mapped a significant part of the African coast as early as the mid 15th century in their search for gold and a route to the orient. 47% to the Spanish Americas. This usually consisted mostly of males. only that of the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the females and young often being kept for lineage incorporation. the explosive demand for sugar shifted their focus to growing sugar cane. their goods were just a different type of cargo. the former of which gave the native slavers significant advantage over their rivals. Roman slave society ended as the slaves were legally converted into coloni. the Africans grew to vastly outnumber the Europeans. but following 1645. over 6. The system developed by the Portuguese would serve the Dutch. They soon found that slaves were a much more valuable commodity. To the slavers. they established their first base. shackled.estimated that a third of the population of Rome were slaves. and shipped off for work in the New World. as the empire began to collapse. almost half the population of Brazil was slaves. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The ratio in the large estates was even larger. Their initial quests were to become rich mining gold and silver.

What was it like to be a slave? How did the slaves see life? Fredrick Douglass made it perfectly clear that what American Blacks saw was considerably different than what most saw in this land of opportunity. the pattern that developed the huge sugar cane plantations of the New World would be played out again in the New South. “What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer. rarely more than a handfull. Africans. Women were bought as domestics and nannies while men more commonly worked the fields. Some thinkers in Scotland. Some began to open themselves to listening to others and hearing about alternative perspectives. it is estimated that the southern United States accounted for more than 35% of all the slaves in the New World. Mississippi and Louisiana made huge areas of land available for cultivation. educated. Asians. The profits from the sale and maintenance of slaves coupled with proceeds from textiles were one of the most profitable enterprises of the day. By 1825. The labor was less rigorous. England and America voiced strong misgivings about the handling of Africans. Planting and cultivation of cotton did indeed lend itself to the gang methodology. and other supposed cultural inferiors were excluded. and degrading submissions on the other.Thomas Jefferson History and precedent were on the side of the slavers. While slaves were first brought to Virginia in 1619. increasing the demand (and profits) in cotton ten fold over night. more like 3-2 versus anywhere from 8 or 20 to one in other parts of the new world. All that would change in the latter half of the 18th century. In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin which would revolutionize the processing of cotton for use in textiles. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 18th century that the emerging social. Indians. this notion only covered people who shared the religions and culture of Europe. bringing with it a huge need for labor. but this time with cotton. Our children see this…and thus nursed. and daily exercised in tyranny. The man must be a prodigy who can retain his manners and morals undepraved by such circumstances. By 1850. cannot but be stamped by it with odious pecularities. The opening for settlement of the New Southern States of Alabama. “The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions. and opportunity itself can be a harsh mistress. Hence. Tobacco was initially the profitable crop of the south. and did not lend itself well to the workgang methodology used around the Caribbean. except on the largest plantations. the most unremitting despotism on the one part. the English mostly relied on indentured servants rather than slaves. The number of slaves an owner had was usually small. An advantage of cotton was that it could be grown profitably on less land.” -. While most Western Europeans considered the notion of enslaving other Europeans barbaric. religious and political systems would call the legitimacy of slavery into question. and required fewer skilled laborers and artisans for processing. a day that reveals to him more than all other
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. A few looked beyond simply the slave issue at the impact the institution had on the social system. nearly two thirds of the slaves on plantations were engaged in the production of cotton. but their objections were noise in a hurricane. the majority of whom were at least second generation slaves. The ratio of men to women was closer in the United States.southern United States had a population where the numbers of whites was initially similar to blacks. some of which could be easily performed by men as well as women. But things were beginning to change. France. BUT NOT ALTERED
. which helped create a boom in slave population.

” -. France. your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless.Frederick Douglass .
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Rhode Island and Connecticut followed suit three years later and this trend was more or less adopted by most of the northern states. By 1830. To him your celebration is a sham. Slavery is still practiced. Russia. fathers or male siblings. In 1774 they voted for expulsion of any member participating in the slave trade and in 1776. formation in England of the “Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade”. Dutch colonies by 1863 and the United States in 1865. sex religion and ethnicity are still excuses for hate. Cuba was the last of the New World to give in. hollow mock. Between 1820 and 1870. The legalized dealing in human flesh was finished. France and Spain paid lip service to the agreement while. subject to the will of their husbands. your prayers and hymns.days of the year. they too folded. albeit more discretely. yet in 1867. are to him mere bombast. with Portugal. Many cultures still consider women and children little more than property. and they took it upon themselves to press agreements with other countries for them to patrol the West Coast of Africa. Their influence grew first with the masses and then with parties in Parliament that eventually lead to the passage of the 1807 Act to abolish the slave trade. swelling vanity. BUT NOT ALTERED
. one of the first countries to begin the slave trade. your sermons and thanksgivings. a non-sectarian organization originally made up most of the Quakers. 1852 What is amazing is that in the span of just over a century. The Society of Friends (Quakers) in both England and Pennsylvania were some of the first to take action against slavery of any kind. more than a third of the blacks in the New World were free. all British colonies in 1838. In 1841 the Quintuple Treaty is signed under which England. deception. the British captured some 1600 slave ships. Brazil. your national greatness. Prussia and Austria agree to mutual search of vessels on the high seas to suppress the slave trade. only 25% were still slaves. where the slave trade had ended. The Atlantic Slave trade was over. Brazil. violence and conflict. The British presence increased the price and risk of acquiring slaves from Africa. was the last to abolish it in 1888. and hypocrisy . In 1787. they continued the trade in earnest. Britain’s naval muscle was unchallenged. This is not meant to imply that holding other humans as chattel has by any means vanished in the world. Slavery was abolished in the old Spanish Americas between 1824-1850). Ships caught trafficking in slaves would be confiscated. fraud. Race. the unassailable institution of slavery which was accepted without question would be outlawed in the entire western world.July 4. with all your religious parade and solemnity. their crews and owners tried according to the laws of their nation. impiety. required any members holding slaves to emancipate them or be expelled. one of the largest importers of African slaves acquiesced in 1851. They started by circulating pamphlets and preaching. Sweden and Holland agreed to abolish the trade in 1813 & 1814 respectively. your shouts of liberty and equality. With the exception of the Southern United States. Pennsylvania adopted a gradual emancipation program in 1780 to free all children of slaves born after 1780.a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. your boasted liberty an unholy license. In the Spanish and Frenchfounded country. The United States followed suit. in remote corners of the world. French and Danish Colonies in 1848. So in little more than a century. societies round the world have taken significant steps in ending an institution that has been with us for as long as we’ve considered ourselves civilized. the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. the end of slavery soon followed.

Wisdom would suggest that we find solutions for living together and soon. The important lesson taken from our progress with slavery is this: we as a world society have the ability to change and grow.And the world's economy is now dangerously close to enslavement by yet a different human classification system .the zeros and ones stored as magnetized bits on a hard disk computer holding our bank account balances. We’ve developed missiles and weapons of mass destruction.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Scientists have developed specialized biological and chemical weapons capable of decimating populations. We can move and grow toward tolerance of others if we choose. The disenfranchised will eventually have access to sources of retribution like they’ve never had before. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

One of the brightests futurists I have come across is a man by the name of John Petersen. Remember when a computer only had 16 kilobytes of RAM? To save storage space.Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. At the stroke of midnight. and quite possibly. "The millennial sun will first rise over human civilization in the independent republic of Kiribati. 1917 is ’17. electricity. Sitting here now. BUT NOT ALTERED
.’ These two-digit dates exist on millions of files used as input to millions of applications. But when these billions of lines of computer code were being written. We will finally see the extent of the networked and interdependent processes we have created. heat. We are describing the year 2000 problem. a group of some thirty low lying coral islands in the Pacific Ocean that straddle the equator and the International Date Line. Large mainframe computers more than ten years old were not programmed to handle a four digit year. Kiribati’s 81. we will experience a true millennial shift. no one even thought about standards. the new millennium heralds the greatest challenge to modern society that we have yet to face as a planetary community. Whether we experience this as chaos or social transformation will be influenced by what we do immediately. the onset of unheralded disruptions in life as we know it in many parts of the globe.)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. In this way the end of the world will be brought about. 2000. President of the Arlington Institute. when the calendar clicks from ’99 to ’00. As the sun moves westward on January 1." increasing sensitivity to the magnitude of the impending crisis has escalated it to "The Millennial Bomb. halfway between Hawaii and Australia. they only received TV in 1989.. This long awaited sunrise marks the dawn of the year 2000. he wrote a seminal article that can be credited for raising the consciousness of tens of thousands of people. computer memory was very expensive. known as Y2K (K signifying 1000. Mr. Petersen has written extensively on Y2K. manufacturing plants." The problem begins as a simple technical error." Programmers did whatever was required to get a product up and working. (The era in which this code was written was described by one programming veteran as "the Wild West. telephones. However. in reference to the forthcoming challenge we face looming throughout the information systems that run modern lives at the year 2000. Some excerpts follow from his article on the Year 2000 crises. we will begin to experience our computer-dependent world in an entirely new way. as the date shifts silently within millions of computerized systems. to the end of civilization as we know it. Early last year. air. on the threshold of the year 2000.. it seems incomprehensible that computer programmers and microchip designers didn't plan for it. rail and ground transportation.) Nicknamed at first "The Millennial Bug." -. for those who live in a world that relies on satellites. 1993 is ‘93’ in data files. The opinions on the seriousness of the crisis run the gamut from "smoke in the theater" overblown way out of proportion. helping to motivate action to prevent crisis and deal effectively with whatever the severity of circumstance that may present itself. which will produce comforts and conveniences beyond human imagination. An expert in the emerging discipline of scenario planning.Endangered Technology "The conveniences and comforts of humanity in general will be linked up by one mechanism. or TV. But the smallest mistake will bring the whole mechanism to a certain collapse. most programmers allocated only two digits to a year. 1922 (Sufi Prophet)
"Y2K" has become an increasingly frequent placeholder in the headlines of the world.000 Micronesians may observe nothing different about this dawn.

at the warehouse of a freeze-dried food manufacturer. redundancies are eliminated in the name of efficiency. We already have frequent experiences with how fragile these systems are. . Whatever happens in one part of the network has an impact on other parts of the network. The computer read 2002 as 1902. but an interdependent planet. Late in 1997. If I ask the computer to calculate how old I am today. and how failure cascades through a networked system. . These are just two types of calculations that are going to produce garbage. it took two million lines of computer code to keep the system operational. power generation.not 2000. government. But just three lines of faulty code brought down these millions of lines of code. 1965. While each of these systems relies on millions of lines of code that detail the required processing. crashed for a day or longer because of the failure of one satellite. vulnerable to even the slightest problem anywhere in the system. It doesn’t matter whether you personally use a computer. If you want to sort by date (e. transportation. This leanness also makes the system highly vulnerable.
The list is longer. But what happens in the year 2000? The computer will subtract 55 from 00 and will state that I am minus 55 years old.. Microprocessors and other integrated circuits are often just sophisticated calculators that count and do math. the computer calculated that this food was ninety-six years old. 90% of all pagers in the U. the computer. BUT NOT ALTERED
. explains the computer math calculation: "I was born in 1955. days. sees 05. And these systems are lean. . degrees." The calculation problem explains why the computer system at Marks & Spencer department store in London recently destroyed tons of food during the process of doing a long term forecast. 1966). etc. But Y2K is not about wasting good food. manufacturing. And not isolated computers. or that most people around the world don’t even have telephones. no matter their size. We have created dense networks of reliance around the globe. 1966. This error will affect any calculation that produces or uses time spans. 65. they handle their routines in serial fashion. . Compounding the fragility of these systems is the fact that we can’t see the extent of our
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. education. 66 and sorts them incorrectly. We are networked together for economic and political purposes. inches. . Many chips that had a time function designed into them were only structured for this century. who has been actively studying the problem and its implications since 1991. And when the date goes from '99 to '00 both they and the legacy software that has not been fixed will think it is still the 20th century -. the Internet could not deliver email to the appropriate addresses because bad information from their one and only central source corrupted their servers. A similar problem happened recently in the U. telecommunications. it subtracts 55 from 98 and announces that I’m 43.The same thing happened in the production of microchips as recently as three years ago. We are dependent on computerized systems that contain date functions to effectively manage defense.S. Every major aspect of our modern infrastructure has systems and equipment that rely on such calculations to perform their functions. We have created a world whose efficient functioning in all but the poorest and remotest areas is dependent on computers. Any next step depends on the preceding step. In May of this year. the resulting sequence would be 1905. finance. healthcare. In 1990. ATT’s long distance system experienced repeated failures. pounds.g. At that time. if you add in a date record such as 2015. 15.S. Instead of four more years of shelf life. lumens.
Peter de Jager. 1905. This serial nature makes systems. 1965. or insurance policies. but the picture is clear. interest rates. The world’s economic and political infrastructures rely on computers. They count many things: fractions of seconds. It ordered it thrown out. Date calculations affect millions more systems than those that deal with inventories. which reads only the last two digits of the date. However. but 1900. We have created not only a computer-dependent society.

000 suppliers? The nature of systems and our history with them paints a chilling picture of the Year 2000. However. these highly networked ways of doing business create a terrifying scenario. The networks that make modern life possible are masked by the technology. In the first category. (based on their assessment that they were facing catastrophe. In the past. Modern business is completely reliant on networks. They seem oblivious to the networks in which they participate. In our own investigation among many varieties of organizations and citizens. People believe that Y2K affects only a few industries—primarily finance and insurance—seemingly because they deal with dates on policies and accounts.) exclaim about the general lack of awareness. or how they will effect us. The second category of reactions reveals the great collective faith in technology and science. More public figures are speaking out. This is critically
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. he is believed. outsourcers (all. suppliers. it’s been difficult to interest most people in the Year 2000 problem. businesses denied it would have much of an impact on our economy. or to the systems and interconnections of modern life. We do not know the extent of the failures.interconnectedness. we could always hope for a last minute deal. this denial is quickly dissipating. When Asian markets failed last year.) has 100. Bringing their internal systems into compliance seems nearly impossible. They know the date when the extent of the problem will surface. matched by escalation in adjectives used to describe it. but what then do they do with all those vendors who supply parts? GM experiences production stoppages whenever one key supplier goes on strike. And then there is the uniqueness of the Year 2000 problem. which has been working with extraordinary focus and diligence to bring their manufacturing plants up to Year 2000 compliance. At no other time in history have we been forced to deal with a deadline that is absolutely non-negotiable. Until quite recently. but still view it as a well-circumscribed issue that is being addressed by their information technology department. or a limited number of consequences. We only see the interdependencies when the relationships are disrupted -. or pray for an eleventh hour savior. But we do know with great certainty that as computers around the globe respond or fail when their calendars record 2000.000 suppliers worldwide. Failure in one part of a system always exposes the levels of interconnectedness that otherwise go unnoticed—we suddenly see how our fates are linked together. We have never had to stare into the future knowing the precise date when the crisis would materialize. Only recently have we felt the extent to which Asian economic woes affect us directly. We will see the ways in which we have woven the modern world together through our technology. Those who are publicizing the problem (the World Wide Web is the source of the most extensive information on Y2K. people acknowledge the problem but view it as restricted to a small number of businesses. General Motors. most U. After all. sustaining one another. Ecologist David Orr has noted that one of the fundamental beliefs of our time is that technology can be trusted to solve any problem it creates. customers.S. We see how much we are participating with one another. Companies have vendors. The networks mean that no one system can protect itself from Y2K failures by just attending to its own internal systems. What is the potential number of delays and shutdowns possible among 100. If a software engineer goes on TV claiming to have created a program that can correct all systems. the inevitability of this confrontation seems to add to people’s denial of it. managed by computerized data bases. Information on Y2K is expanding exponentially. we’ve noted two general categories of response. Others note that their organization is affected by Y2K. In a bizarre fashion. What’s common to these comments is that people hold Y2K as a narrowly-focused. and choose not to worry about it until then. of course.when a problem develops elsewhere and we notice that we too are having problems. he’s just what we’ve been expecting. or rely on round-the-clock bargaining. People describe Y2K as a technical problem and then enthusiastically state that human ingenuity and genius always finds a way to solve these type of problems. bounded problem. we will see clearly the extent of our interdependence. BUT NOT ALTERED
.) For Y2K. or even the deliberate blindness that greets them.

leaders have no choice but to engage every willing soul. When an earthquake strikes. We’ve observed this in America. But as psychotherapist and information systems consultant Dr. At present. Time and again we observe a much more positive human response during times of crisis. We must begin to address potential social responses. but it will not and cannot be solved by technology.important. They discovered new capacities in themselves and in their communities. They were surrounded by feats of caring and courage." Behaviors induced by secrecy are not the only human responses available. Without such planning. and as they report on their experiences. And whenever we feel excluded. under conditions of shock. they are slowing down the awareness of the intensity of the problem as currently understood and the urgency of the need for solutions. and as a global society. our communities. distrusting and focused only on self-preservation. Leaders don’t want to panic their citizens. Even where there is some recognition of the potential disruptions or chaos that Y2K might create. Individual initiative and involvement are essential. the capacity for public discourse and shared participation in solution finding disappears. they are making almost certain a higher degree of ultimate panic. Corporations don’t want to panic investors. As individuals. there’s simply no time for secrecy. their confidence in leaders quickly erodes. or fed misleading information. in the midst of conditions of devastation and fear. First. People no longer believe anything or anybody—we become unavailable. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and in Bangladesh. they finally learn who their neighbors are. potential societal reactions receive almost no attention. alternatives diminish and potential problems grow. Lawyers don’t want their clients to confess to anything. These crisis experiences are memorable because the best of us becomes visible and available. Second. in anger. They contributed to getting systems restored with a speed that defied all estimates. however problems materialize? The question of alternative social responses lies at the outer edges of the interlocking circles of technology and system relationships. people report how good they feel about themselves and their colleagues. where the poorest of the poor responded to
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. they open their homes to one another. When chaos strikes. or a flood or fire destroys a community. they perform acts of pure altruism. Yet surprisingly. Our history with the problems created by secrecy has led CEO Norman Augustine to advise leaders in crisis to: "Tell the truth and tell it fast. And the field for improvisation is wide open—no emergency preparedness drill ever prepares people for what they actually end up doing. Y2K is a technology-induced problem.") are having three effects. do we have a choice as to how we might respond to Y2K. it is clear that their participation changed their lives. We need to be engaged in this discourse within our organizations. people fill the information vacuum with rumors and fear. and across the traditional boundaries of competition and national borders. We’ve interviewed many people who participated in the aftermath of a disaster. Haven’t we yet learned the consequences of secrecy? When people are kept in the dark. Employees don’t want to panic their bosses. We must develop strategies for preparing ourselves at all levels to deal with whatever Y2K presents to us with the millennium dawn. they are preventing a more rigorous investigation of the extent of the problem. we will slide into the Year 2000 as hapless victims of our technology. or a bomb goes off. there’s a powerful dynamic of secrecy preventing us from engaging in these conversations. Third. people will panic". nations. They exceeded all expectations. In the absence of real information. They use any available materials to save and rescue. It creates societal problems that can only be solved by humans. given the current assessment of the risks. But we firmly believe that it is the central most important place to focus public attention and individual ingenuity. With each calendar tick of this time. we have no choice but to withdraw and focus on self-protective measures. As the veil of secrecy thickens. Douglass Carmichael has written: Those who want to hush the problem ("Don’t talk about it. and "We don’t know for sure. people respond with astonishing capacity and effectiveness.

the needs of their most destitute neighbors rather than accepting relief for themselves. As we sit staring into the unknown dimensions of a global crisis whose timing is non-negotiable, what responses are available to us as a human community? An effective way to explore this question is to develop potential scenarios of possible social behaviors. Scenario planning is an increasingly accepted technique for identifying the spectrum of possible futures that are most important to an organization or society. In selecting among many possible futures, it is most useful to look at those that account for the greatest uncertainty and the greatest impact. For Y2K, David Isenberg, (a former AT&T telecommunications expert, now at Isen.Com) has identified the two variables which seem obvious – the range of technical failures from isolated to multiple, and the potential social responses, from chaos to coherence. Both variables are critical and uncertain and are arrayed as a pair of crossing axes. When displayed in this way, four different general futures emerge. In the upper left quadrant, if technical failures are isolated and society doesn’t respond to those, nothing of significance will happen. Isenberg labels this the "Official Future" because it reflects present behavior on the part of leaders and organizations. The upper right quadrant describes a time where technical failures are still isolated, but the public responds to these with panic, perhaps fanned by the media or by stonewalling leaders. Termed "A Whiff of Smoke," the situation is analogous to the panic caused in a theater by someone who smells smoke and spreads an alarm, even though it is discovered that there is no fire. This world could evolve from a press report that fans the flames of panic over what starts as a minor credit card glitch (for example), and, fueled by rumors turns nothing into a major social problem with runs on banks, etc. The lower quadrants describe far more negative scenarios. "Millennial Apocalypse" presumes large-scale technical failure coupled with social breakdown as the organizational, political and economic systems come apart. The lower left quadrant, "Human Spirit" posits a society that, in the face of clear adversity, calls on each of us to collaborate in solving the problems of breakdown. Since essentially we are almost out of time and resources for preventing widespread Y2K failures, a growing number of observers believe that the only plausible future scenarios worth contemplating are those in the lower half of the matrix. The major question before us is how will society respond to what is almost certain to be widespread and cascading technological failures? What is a possible natural evolution of the problem? Early, perhaps even in early ’99, the press could start something bad long before it was clear how serious the problem was and how society would react to it. There could be an interim scenario where a serious technical problem turned into a major social problem from lack of adequate positive social response. This "Small Theatre Fire" future could be the kind of situation where people overreact and trample themselves trying to get to the exits from a small fire that is routinely extinguished. If the technical situation is bad, a somewhat more ominous situation could evolve. Government, exerting no clear positive leadership and seeing no alternative to chaos, cracks down so as not to lose control (a common historical response to social chaos has been for the government to intervene in non-democratic, sometimes brutal fashion). "Techno-fascism" is a plausible scenario -- governments and large corporations would intervene to try to contain the damage -- rather than build for the future. This dictatorial approach would be accompanied by secrecy about the real extent of the problem and ultimately fueled by the cries of distress, prior to 2000, from a society that has realized its major systems are about to fail and that it is too late to do anything about it. Obviously, the scenario worth working towards is "Human Spirit," a world where the best of human creativity is enabled and the highest common good becomes the objective. In this world we all work together, developing a very broad, powerful, synergistic, self-organizing force focused on determining what

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humanity should be doing in the next 13 months to plan for the aftermath of the down stroke of Y2K. This requires that we understand Y2K not as a technical problem, but as a systemic, worldwide event that can only be resolved by new social relationships. All of us need to become very wise and very engaged very fast and develop entirely new processes for working together. Systems issues cannot be resolved by hiding behind traditional boundaries or by clinging to competitive strategies. Systems require collaboration and the dissolution of existing boundaries. Our only hope for healthy responses to Y2K-induced failures is to participate together in new collaborative relationships. At present, individuals and organizations are being encouraged to protect themselves, to focus on solving "their" problem. In a system’s world, this is insane. The problems are not isolated, therefore no isolated responses will work. The longer we pursue strategies for individual survival, the less time we have to create any viable, systemic solutions. None of the boundaries we’ve created across industries, organizations, communities, or nation states give us any protection in the face of Y2K. We must stop the messages of fragmentation now and focus resources and leadership on figuring out how to engage everyone, at all levels, in all systems. As threatening as Y2K is, it also gives us the unparalleled opportunity to figure out new and simplified ways of working together. GM’s chief information officer, Ralph Szygenda, has said that Y2K is the cruelest trick ever played on us by technology, but that it also represents a great opportunity for change. It demands that we let go of traditional boundaries and roles in the pursuit of new, streamlined systems, ones that are less complex than the entangled ones that have evolved over the past thirty years. There’s an interesting lesson here about involvement that comes from the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Just a few weeks prior the bombing, agencies from all over the city conducted an emergency preparedness drill as part of normal civil defense practice. They did not prepare themselves for a bomb blast, but they did work together on other disaster scenarios. The most significant accomplishment of the drill was to create an invisible infrastructure of trusting relationships. When the bomb went off, that infrastructure displayed itself as an essential resource--people could work together easily, even in the face of horror. Many lives were saved and systems were restored at an unprecedented rate because people from all over the community worked together so well. But there’s more to this story. One significant player had been excluded from the preparedness drill, and that was the FBI. No one thought they’d ever be involved in a Federal matter. To this day, people in Oklahoma City speak resentfully of the manner in which the FBI came in, pushed them aside, and offered no explanations for their behavior. In the absence of trusting relationships, some form of techno-fascism is the only recourse. Elizabeth Dole, as president of the American Red Cross commented: "The midst of a disaster is the poorest possible time to establish new relationships and to introduce ourselves to new organizations . . . . When you have taken the time to build rapport, then you can make a call at 2 a.m., when the river’s rising and expect to launch a well-planned, smoothly conducted response." The scenario of communities and organizations working together in new ways demands a very different and immediate response not only from leaders but from each of us. "

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The Major Crises of the Our Generation As John Petersen cogently suggests, Y2K is a serious challenge, one that must be addressed at all levels of society, across the world. I also believe that Y2K will be conquered by humanity. Thanks to many loud and proactive stands taken by futurists and clear-minded technology thinkers, a lot has been accomplished in 1997 and 1998. The United States is likely to suffer some regional crises, and perhaps a few systemic ones, but is also likely to come through with society firmly intact if decisive preventive action and contingency planning continue through 1999. In this country, I now believe we will do far, far better than doomsayers suggest. Other nations will have other levels of success in correcting the problem this year. Some nations' infrastructures will simply shut down because of their level of unpreparedness. Our attention must quickly expand to include international preparedness, for the world's problems will be the problems of the only remaining superpower. All in all, I am hopeful and cautiously optimistic that the world will focus this year sufficient to tackle Y2K without fundamental catastrophe. But Y2K is by no means the only, nor the most serious, set of problems we face. Because modern humanity has accelerated the pace at which we change, we have dictated not only the range of our positive experience, but also the pace at which we must learn painful new lessons – lessons impossible to foresee and equally impossible to avoid once glimpsed. Because of the acceleration of change in our lives in the past 100 years in particular, there are several crucial challenges beyond Y2K that humanity will face in coming years, fundamental challenges of its own creation. In my opinion, these challenges are best considered and reviewed by Eugene Linden in his stunningly insightful book The Future In Plain Sight. Linden writes on science and technology for Time, and is wellrespected across the media. Linden reviews several crucial problems faced by modern human civilization that are not widely appreciated in their portent, briefly summarized below... "Hot Tempered Markets During an extraordinary four-month period starting on June 27, 1997, the currencies of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Korea all went into a free fall. Even places like Hong Kong, whose currencies escaped the plummeling, suffered stock-market collapses. The contagion spread also to Latin America, where markets in Mexico and Brazil suffered precipitous declines... That the Southeast Asian crisis came about only two years after the international community had supposedly learned the lessons of the Mexican crisis speaks volumes about the inherent volatility of an integrated global market. Bankers and policy makers can set up bailout funds or an international bankruptcy court, improve the flow of financial information, and take other actions designed to soothe markets, but these will not work. Both the Mexican and Southeast Asian examples demonstrate that market instability is about not only information and systems but perception and human nature. If the story is that Thailand or Mexico or Indonesia is a good place to get good returns on money, the relatively homogeneous investment community will put money into that country, ignoring warning signals until it is too late. Then they will all try to leave... Without the $52-billion bailout in Mexico, a cascade of bankruptcies and bank collapses could have plunged the nation into complete anarchy, fostering an immense wave of migration to the United States. The question facing Mexico, Southeast Asia, and the global investing community is whether these bailouts have bought nations time to institute necessary reforms, or merely postponed a much more painful day of reckoning...

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The triumph of capitalism in this century has set the stage for an integrated global economy. This globalization of markets is supposed to spread risks and reduce volatility. Instead it actually increases the likelihood of violent swings, because of the homogeneity and synchronicity that characterize the actions of the institutions governing the flows of capital... What happened was but a dust devil on a summer day compared with what will happen ever more frequently in the coming decades. Shocks and adjustments are an inevitable part of any economic system, but as the scale of the integrated market grows, these jerks will only increase in frequency and amplitude, promising more instability in the future. The Decay of the City In the poorer nations of the world, the latter part of this century has seen a massive, unprecedented migration to the cities. The percentage of population living in cities in the richer countries increased by about 37 percent between 1950 and 1995, but the percentage of urban dwellers more than doubled in less developed nations during that same period and more than tripled in the least developed nations, according to UN statistics... Some public-health experts are now beginning to believe that the statistical portrait of the advantages of urban life does not capture dramatic declines in living standards for large numbers of the poor, who have become worse off than their counterparts in the countryside... Studies of such disparate cities as Accra, Ghana, and Sao Paulo reveal that the poor bear a double burden of disease, finding themselves weakened by infectious water-borne diseases as well as chronic problems, such as heart disease and cancers, traditionally associated with affluence. Thus the urban poor have to face the added stresses of urban life in a weakened state (in Africa, between 40 and 80 percent of urban dwellers are afflicted with one or more parasite at any given time), drinking and bathing with expensive and often bad water, surrounded by casually disposed-of toxic materials and chemicals, eating unhealthy high-fat street food, breathing foully polluted air, and contending daily with ever more resilient microbes. Unstable cities project instability beyond their boundaries through the incubation of microbes, through political and social disorder that can also spread as a contagion, through the disruption of national and regional economies, and through the launching of new tides of migrants. No "Vent for Surplus" If the exploding cities of the developing world are one indication of how demographic pressures will destabilize life in the next century, human migration is another... History has shown that people tend to move when they find themselves squeezed for space, but what happens when there is no place to go? In the past, wildlands and new territories provided what the economist Adam Smith called a "vent for surplus." Migrants today are finding that there is no "vent for surplus" even as the population pressures and environmental degradation force greater numbers of people to uproot their families in search of new places to settle... The example of Rwanda and Zaire shows how migration can set in motion ripples that in turn destabilize an entire region. The potential for catastrophic collisions of migrants and residents will only rise in the future, as the population continues to increase by roughly a hundred million a year.... Looming across the Pacific is a case in point. China, the world's most populous nation, faces building pressures for internal migration that terrify the government. Despite the economic boom that has given China one of the fastest-growing economies on Earth, the communist government sites on top of a powder keg of forces that could produce mass movements within the country on an unprecedented scale... China's

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How can this be? Part of the answer is a synergy between population growth and technological change. which rewards the educated and adept and marginalizes everyone else. yet fueling atavistic antagonisms that can dehumanize even those nations that feel smugly insulated from the overcrowded world. The Ubiquitous Wage Gap Thirty years ago. This gap has widened despite statistics that show huge improvements in incomes. 4. A country such as Indonesia can attract manufacturing jobs to the Jakarta area with labor priced at $1.. Will xenophobia and various forms of racism become resurgent as those living in favored regions search for ways to rationalize their inability to help the millions who seek aid or entry? Also very likely. since the concept has become morally abhorrent in most of the world. the richest 20 percent of the people on earth earned thirty times more than the poorest 20 percent. unrelenting migration from overpopulated agricultural regions gives workers ever-declining leverage over employers. it is more likely to be camouflaged by the paternalism of landowners. In northeastern Brazil. however. administrator of the United Nations Development Program. two billion people. describes as "deplorable. Despite much-trumpeted improvements in nutrition and infant health. Of course. they only fall deeper into debt. educational opportunities. Around the world. per-capita income has fallen from $750 to $620 in eight years. Instead of narrowing. He argues that the stage is set for this cycle to be played out again. Despite an integrated global economy. The return of slavery is noteworthy because it is the extreme expression of a trend toward the marginalization of those at the bottom of the global economy.50 a day. In an integrated global economy. still live unconnected to the grid of the industrial world by either electricity or oil. As these surplus workers become more desperate. that gap has expanded. At that point. in 1996 more than 2. one billion live in absolute poverty. according to Jack Goldstone. corporations.. or that slavery will still be morally repugnant. BUT NOT ALTERED
. more than a third of the earth's human population. there is no guarantee that the global economy will remain integrated fifty years from now.4 billion people . political scientists warned that a widening gap between rich and poor threatened to produce political and social upheaval. is that population pressures affect societies in many surprising ways. if only to preserve their humanity? Very likely. so that the better-off now earn sixty times as much as the poorest. The rise of ecomigration offers a disturbing preview of coming upheavals. so slavery is unlikely to return on a large scale. an organization called the American Anti-Slavery Group has produced evidence of the return of outright slavery in Mauretania and the Sudan.5 billion people live in conditions that James Gustave Speth.a number greater than the total world population in 1945 . as supplies of slaves secured by raids increased. What will happen as the Earth becomes more crowded while images of suffering become ever more available? Will people tune out and turn inward. no matter how hard they work. In Egypt. an expert on the history of revolution and rebellion. Speth wrote that every day sixty-seven thousand babies a day-twenty-five
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.history is marked by a series of collapses brought about by uncontained population growth. the price of a woman or a child dropped from $90 to $15 between 1989 and 1990. should either workers or their governments make demands for higher wages or better working conditions. and health care in the developing world. In 1996. or the state. agricultural workers live in perpetual indenturement to landowners who pay them so little that. The group reported in The New York Times that. The point. In the meantime. consumers will have increasing power over how products are produced. where five hundred thousand new job seekers enter the market each year.still lived on less than $2 a day." Of that number. the line between freedom and slavery begins to blur. In Africa. however. putting huddled masses at the gates of their neighbors. but industries can easily pick up stakes and find highly motivated workers elsewhere. If it does return to any significant degree. where the bulk of the world's poor live.

and the automation of work ..S.6-percent unemployment rate was the lowest in thirty years and below the 5-percent level considered to represent full employment. and by 1997 the average person was spending 18 percent of income just to service debt. In that same period. they have nowhere to go but down.5 billion people are either unemployed or underemployed. Moreover.2 trillion. and by December 1997. The forces driving this widening gap . U. are the keys to the present economy. managerial. Sandwiched between a younger generation and well-educated.S. Between 1979 and 1993. With the global economy growing at nearly 4 percent a year. twenty years ago the average CEO earned thirty-five times more than the average worker.S. the 4. now it is 150 times more.million a year-are born into families so poor their parents cannot afford sufficient food to perform normal work.. productivity was climbing.. and the upper 20 percent have increased their real income by 10 percent. By the middle of the year. Computers can now analyze sales data. most of these dislocated employees would find new opportunities after an initial period of turmoil. New jobs have been created as well. since consumers no longer had the ability to deduct interest on debt from their taxes. If there was a troubling sign on the horizon in the U. 18.S. As a trend. credit-card delinquencies
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. This picture of the future is at extreme variance with the conventional wisdom in the booming economy of 1997. such happy endings are improbable for many. both downsizing and integration were beginning to look like flat-out wins. the highest level ever.are fundamental. BUT NOT ALTERED
.4 trillion. but now hundreds of thousands of clerical.7 million white-collar jobs disappeared in the United States. two of these forces. technological advance and the increasing integration of the global economy. Thus the fruits of worldwide economic growth disproportionately accrue to an ever-smaller percent of the population. Many paternalistic and bureaucratic companies that resisted the trend for white-collar layoffs during the 1980s used the recession of 1991 and 1992 as an excuse to achieve workforce reductions that were in fact driven by technological change. economy in its fifth year of sustained growth. The unprecedented bull market created a lot of paper wealth as well. Whereas population pressures are a force driving unemployment and underemployment in the developing world. the poorest 20 percent of U. but often at lower pay. The International Labor Organization estimates that 750 million of the world labor force of 2. cheaper labor abroad.. And in the wealthier nations alone. millions of them. there are thirty million jobless. the highest level since the mid-1980s. Personal bankruptcies were also at an all-time high. and workers who developed such esoteric expertise are finding themselves out on the street with unmarketable skills. First armies of blue-collar employees were swept away by efficiency improvements.S. In the U. perform credit analyses. and allocate discount seats on airlines. and other white-collar workers who never dreamed they might be out of a job are being laid off. Total household debt.the population explosion. this cannot continue without producing violent reactions from those left behind. but in terms of burden. and the U. This time around. So the world faces a dilemma: the widening income gap between rich and poor may be integral to continued economic growth as capitalism extends its reach and human numbers expand. This widening gap is not confined to the developing world. workers have seen their real earnings drop by 24 percent. technology impels change in the richer nations: the information revolution is completing the automation of the workplace that began two hundred years ago with the industrial revolution. reached $5. This represented a 50-percent increase since 1991. which includes mortgages. It is not just blue-collar workers who find themselves forced from their customary livelihoods. with fewer benefits and less security. the integration of the world economy. If the future were a simple projection of the past. it was that consumer debt in 1997 reached an alltime high at $1.

which was the product of paranoid fantasies about government conspiracies. The rising credit-card delinquencies reflected the reality that borrowers can suffer in deflationary times. particularly since real interest rates in 1997 were at a very high 4 percent and above. because. accounting for two-thirds of GDP. A lot of different reasons account for the rise in bad credit. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. since most credit-card debt is repackaged by the card issuers as asset-backed bonds.. and administrators.. but a growing population of white-collar workers whose fortunes have turned sour depresses the prospects of a country as a whole. Savings continued their long-term downward trend. One need only look to the chaos of Russia in the early 1990s to see how difficult it is for white-collar workers with obsolete skills to adapt to new conditions.a further indication that people were working harder. or. employees could demand raise hikes and also pour money into the economy. Even as goods were getting cheaper in the U. and how much mischief this politically sophisticated class can cause when it finds itself stripped of its perks. the guarantees. as from ever-wilder oscillations in political positions. This is exactly what has happened. low unemployment would be an indicator of future inflation. Moreover. This fault line was also indicated by low inflation. In the post-downsizing era. ranging from bad judgment on the part of credit-card issuers. workers had nowhere near the perks. As mentioned earlier. If inflation and raises continue to fall because of global overcapacity on almost all goods. The entrepreneurial and gifted will still thrive in these harsh times for workers. The danger to society comes not so much from extreme events such as the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. In the U. joined the workforce at four times the rate of black or white workers. driving up prices. yet not making enough money to meet their material aspirations.. Ordinarily. decreasing family incomes in the middle class. in many cases. many people were steadily falling behind in their ability to pay bills. This means that a large pool of voters will have more reason to remain angry and dissatisfied. which tends to guide wage increases. to the declining stigma of bankruptcy. many Americans found that their discretionary income was relatively flat. conventionally interpreted as an indicator of the robustness of the economy. the rising delinquencies revealed a fault line in the otherwise rosy economic landscape. but the combination of job insecurity. In the 1990s economy. the incomes they had in previous decades. years of low unemployment and a booming economy did not result in wage hikes or in strong increases in consumer spending (except in services . thanks to imports. and thus forced to eat out more often and pay for functions like child care and laundry that housewives used to perform. to the failing efforts of those with downsized incomes to maintain their former standards of living.S. with labor scarce. before the advent of the two-income family). even with labor theoretically scarce. then the indebted will fall behind even faster. layoffs in recent years have focused on professionals.S. in which moderates lose influence and the more passionate extremists take control of the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. A disenfranchised managerial class could pose a real threat to stability in the future. however. With inflation.. employers could turn to a steady supply of immigrants willing to work for very little. Perhaps more significantly.reached 7 percent. hovering at 2 percent. undermining the liquidity of the card issuers as well as the institutions that trade the obligations. unless interest rates come down as well. also near record levels. rising delinquencies can rapidly spread through the financial system. Hispanic workers. becoming fertile ground for radical and xenophobic causes. if not deflation. The Federal Reserve Bank worried about inflation. the segment of the middle class that traditionally has the most discretionary income. and global overcapacity in most industrial sectors created a strong momentum toward disinflation. many of them immigrants. managers. consumer spending drives the economy. But the combination of full employment with rising indebtedness and delinquency suggests that people are working harder. BUT NOT ALTERED
. As the boom of the mid-1990s created a demand for new employees at the bottom end of the wage curve.

however.. because it redistributes wealth from those who lend to those who owe. None of these trends will change without upheaval. Since the 1950s. In the developing world.. a process powerful enough to punch a hole the size of North America in a shield that protects life itself. The latter happened in Afghanistan. even if they are difficult to interpret. technological advances that permit companies to tap a global labor market for many types of work. moving the upper limit of the ice dramatically southward. the gap continues to widen.. a massive iceberg – measuring forty-eight by twenty-three miles – broke off from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica.. has disappeared.. such as Russia and Venezuela. long-term trends. and politicians. given the ceilings imposed by an integrated global economy? One thing politicians can deliver is inflation. the three-hundred-foot-thick ice shelf that bridged the Prince Gustave Channel. Elsewhere on the frozen continent. and the inexorable expansion of human numbers. being politicians. disintegrated. Many of the countries with the widest gaps between rich and poor.. the potential negative reactions of the integrated global market means this is not really a policy option for the U.. 1995. inflation is always tempting. BUT NOT ALTERED
. while camouflaging who did what to whom. because people can give voice to frustrations for the first time yet democratic institutions remain too weak to address the underlying causes of the misery. as the examples of Mexico and China cited earlier suggest. rocks poked through ice that had been buried under nearly two thousand feet of ice for more than twenty thousand years.political agenda. have fragile democracies. The few can maintain their wealth only with the permission of the many. With the global workforce growing by over fifty million people a year. The gap might also narrow if labor became scarce again. At the same time. The gap between the rich and poor cannot widen indefinitely without producing instability. will give it to them. where the Taliban has enforced a harsh version of Islamic law and forced women to abandon jobs for home life.S. including the automation of the workplace.which is not to say that it will not happen anyway. The message was that humanity had unleashed an entirely new chemical reaction in the atmosphere. It was not until 1985 that atmospheric chemists began to realize that the Antarctic skies were sending a message.. A Warning from the Ice The messages the world has been getting from its atmosphere and climate have been hard to ignore. Antarctica's most northerly stretch of permanent sea ice. As a policy tool. The forces marginalizing both ordinary labor and knowledge workers derive from deep. One conclusion of a confidential CIA-sponsored study of the nations that collapsed over the past forty years was that emerging democracies were more unstable than dictatorships when times turn bad. greatly reducing the number of professionals. Again. allowing ships to circumnavigate the island for the first time in recorded history. . between Antarctica and James Ross Island. this could happen if a global economic boom outpaced both population growth and the application of productivity improvements. But what can they offer the middle and the poor. the majority will demand action. this is not likely barring some catastrophe or radical social change.. the Wordie Ice Shelf. And one gigantic river of ice within the West Antarctic Ice Sheet seems to be surging toward the coast. However. On March 26.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and it is difficult to imagine it shifting toward a more equitable distribution of wealth without instability. If the middle continues to stagnate in the developed countries while the top prospers. even with global economic growth at nearly 4 percent a year in 1997. Could the widening gap between rich and poor resolve itself painlessly? Theoretically. the integration of the global economy. This is one reason why the widening gap between the top and the bottom income groups cannot continue to widen indefinitely. the resolution of the widening gap promises to be even more unruly.

Since the 1940s. which now suffocates under regular algal blooms. but it has degenerated into a squabble over issues of intellectual property. There are still wood storks and white ibises. the plant produced a powerful insect-repellent. putting almost the entire Florida peninsula under water. Who knows what other chemical miracles were produced by neighboring species but have now disappeared because of urbanization and agricultural development? Development might well have wiped out this species as well. succulent leaves. however. is much. Were it to break up or slide into the ocean. the system falls into disarray. growing on a mere speck of land. may lead to new products for the multibillion-dollar insectrepellent and antifungal industries. Subsequent investigation revealed that. As the costs of extremes in climate ripple through society. but their numbers have dropped by 90 percent in this century. most of Florida is an ecological disaster. The treaty was supposed to be an international accord to protect species and ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity. people in the developed world will rediscover that climate. except that the tiny niche where it grows lies in a biological preserve. Each of Florida's indigenous species adapted to perform some role in the maintenance of the system. Long before creatures begin to go extinct. and flooding millions of acres of prime coastal agricultural lands. the ecosystems that support them can get so fragmented or diminished that they become dangerously spastic. biologist Thomas Eisner and colleagues came upon a curious plant in the mint family that grew in only a few hundred acres in central Florida.S. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and ultimately that disarray affects humans as well. this one plant. A Biosphere in Disarray A few years ago. sea level around the world might suddenly rise by twenty feet. as evidenced by records at the United Kingdom's Faraday Station. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is half the size of the U. which spelled the doom of the dinosaurs. Although the succulent is protected for the moment. Like a midget R&D laboratory. When populations collapse. which came out of the vaunted Earth Summit that took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The reason for the warming is far less clear. Extinction has been sold to the public as a problem for humanity because drug companies lose valuable sources of new pharmacologically active agents. including the Permian extinctions of 245 million years ago. Despite the fact that Dicerandra frutescens had tempting. and that nature is more than a backdrop. This is the clue camouflaged by the more dramatic problem of extinction. imperiling billions of people. That impression has been bolstered by the negotiations surrounding the Biodiversity Treaty.. It cannot be fixed by protecting representative samples of earth's biota in preserves. and more than three miles thick at its deepest point. but these rapid changes in Antarctic ice must give pause to hundreds of millions of coastal dwellers around the world. much more than a problem of intellectual property. inundating ports. which wiped out three-quarters of the life forms on earth. as both symbiotic and predator-prey relationships break down. is the context for all human activity. or simply giving people rights to benefit financially from the wonders nature creates as species struggle to survive. to protect itself. the plant was not bothered by insects.The cause of the breakup of the peninsular ice shelves is clear. and the cataclysm of sixty-five million years ago. fair or foul. or even of protecting individual species.. parts of Antarctica have warmed by nearly five degrees Fahrenheit. and contributed to the destabilization of Florida Bay. and that it had developed an arsenal of antifungal compounds as well. A happy story? just the opposite. This reorientation will have profound effects on everything from demographics to religion. drowning megacities like Jakarta. Earth has gone through five major extinction crises during the past few billion years. It is going through one
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Development-driven decisions to tame the Everglades and turn the land to agriculture have led to the collapse of its bird and mammal populations.

. extinction is irreversible. fungi. Moreover. as though some awful contagion swept around the globe indifferently extinguishing species. and the Philippines. since values and technology change in unpredictable ways.. and this promises to be a whopper.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. This is true. the latter had survived the aftershocks of comets. because no one really knows how many species there are.. but where they are and. the present loss of biodiversity has accelerated in just a few decades. Scientists have documented only 1. On any future chart plotting species diversity over time. governments could go a long way in that direction by protecting so-called biodiversity hot spots around the world. With the great apes. such as the eastern slopes of the Andes. since scientists have only the most rudimentary notion of what makes an ecosystem work. setting off fierce chimp wars in which as many as four out of five animals die in hand-to-hand combat. however. Even though they may persist in large numbers in the aggregate. or salamander. Not only rare. precariously specialized species like the river dolphin are succumbing. insects. their importance to life on earth is the role they play in an ecosystem. and insects do not have to become extinct for an ecosystem to begin a wobble toward chaos. and the diseases unleashed by all of these disturbances. where they can go. which cover less than 3 percent of the globe. The loss of biodiversity puts humanity in the position of assuming that we know exactly which species we can do without. Migratory birds find they have no place to land or breed as wetlands and forests vanish.. animals. if the only issue were conserving the greatest number of species. Most of the world's species live in relatively few places. Animals. Almost all the great apes in Africa are now endangered. through accidents of geography and continental drift. the loss of biodiversity will appear instantaneous. Nor. such as frogs and sea turtles. noting that nature herself has done in countless species down -through the ages without jeopardizing life on earth. but not the combined effects of air and water pollution. the reign of volcanoes.4 million species of plants. in part from disease. argues Lee White of the Wildlife Conservation Society: logging is driving chimp bands into neighboring territories. the social upheavals of these changes can be as destructive as the loss of habitat itself. but not the issue. In just a few cases do scientists know which creatures are crucial to the functioning of an ecosystem. equally important for migratory creatures. would ensure the survival of more than 50 percent of earth's biota. is much more than a simple question of accounting. Today's crisis is the product of the direct and indirect effects of human activities. No one really knows how many species are disappearing. This is dubious. The issue is not simply how many individuals of a given species remain.. brilliantly colored mouth breeding fish called cichlids are losing their species diversity and merging into a dull-colored mongrel because human contamination of the lake waters has made it too difficult for females to distinguish the markings of their proper mates. etc. The biodiversity crisis. but also some of nature's most ubiquitous lines. even when all the parts are still available. in part from hunting. Skeptics openly ridicule the notion that humanity should worry about saving every bacteria. it is extremely difficult to restore a damaged ecosystem. Fictions like Jurassic Park notwithstanding. the disappearance of a species from a given locality can lead to a dramatic decline in an ecosystem. the island of Madagascar. do we know which species might prove vital to our health and well-being in the future. As scientists have discovered. and in part from habitat destruction as land is converted for agriculture. In Africa. gnat. Destruction of habitat is the biggest culprit. The Geneva-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that targeting for protection these strategically important ecosystems alone. and twenty ice ages. Even if it were possible to bring extinct forms back to life. BUT NOT ALTERED
. human encroachments on habitat. ozone depletion. plants. Whereas many previous extinction events developed over time scales of many thousands of years and more. but the full range of the diversity of life on dry land and in the oceans may include between thirty and a hundred million species if bacteria and other microscopic life forms are included.now.

and other large grazing creatures. created by the elephants. and Cameroon meet. corridors. Nigeria. That is the problem. Over time. Lyme disease. What is an ecosystem anyway? Is it Yellowstone Park. however. led to a huge increase in deer populations and their attendant deer ticks. and buffers? According to the current theory of ecosystem viability. is the largest park in the lower forty-eight states. or THV.[] Few would doubt that the largest land mammal on earth would play a crucial role in its ecosystem. less charismatic creatures also turn out to be surprisingly important. or is it the park and the surrounding forests and mountains that provide its watershed. As a result. like urban planners. When parrot fish are overharvested. wetlands. thus providing food for the lowland gorilla. As noted earlier. It would seem that saving ecosystems should be an urgent undertaking that governments would pursue in their own interest.Consider. if Yellowstone Park and its surrounding protected areas were not sufficient to protect the ecosystem. the Central African Republic. unknown and unnamed two decades ago. abounds in the gaps the elephants create in the forest. is now epidemic virtually throughout the U. Life on earth is so complicated that neither scientists nor governments can answer such
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the bongo. pine deserts. or the swamps. they persist in any concentrations only in a corner of central Africa where the Congo. (In Kenya. Perhaps because of the transportation infrastructure created by elephants. Zimbabwe. at least. Terrestrial herbaceous vegetation. Also. but find themselves crowded Out of most of their original habitat by farmers. elephant populations have recovered somewhat. Most of America's other parks show declining populations of key species.) There is no confusing these forests with those in the region that no longer have elephants. most governments treat the notion of ecosystem conservation as an amenity issue. corals suffocate. but they intersect with east-towest trails linking the elephant thoroughfares to favorite watering holes and mud baths. except where wildlands provide watershed or some other function easily reducible to an economic argument. as the only animal capable of passing the large seeds of some species of treesincluding some members of the mahogany family. and other distinct biomes within the park. over time species populations would diminish. always accompanied by unanticipated consequences. Scattered through the region are bais. A number of scientists argue that the trickle-down effects of elephants may explain why Africa's forests abound with large mammals but the tropical forests of South America do not. or clearings. Cameroon. and a few other East and Southern African nations. and the whole reef ecosystem begins to collapse. Today. gorillas and the large ungulates disappear as well. Yellowstone. suggesting that Yellowstone. and a host of other sub-Saharan countries. In reality. Innumerable such dislocations are occurring around the world. It seems that elephants. systematic attempts at preservation favored by bureaucrats. The main trails tend to run north to south. Even if the international community made the preservation of earth's life-support systems the world's most urgent priority. the forest gradually reclaims their roads and clearings. parrot fish and other coral-reef grazers prevent algae from covering corals. The remote Ndoki region of the northern Congo is crisscrossed with elephant trails. for instance. BUT NOT ALTERED
. is big enough to remain vital.S. favor a grid pattern for their transportation infrastructure. this region of central Africa has some of the densest concentrations of gorillas on earth. but smaller. but they have been hunted out of many of the forests of the Ivory Coast. This may suggest that the parks are either too small or too isolated from vital migration corridors. They have not. The disappearance of predators in the Northeastern U. Sierra Leone. When elephants are eradicated. reducing ground vegetation. Countless animals benefit from the earthworks of this elephant civilization. the nature of ecosystems makes them ill-suited for the neat. the missing elephants of West Africa. Elephants are not extinct.S. which is prized by loggers-the elephant is crucial to the forest.

and then. As reported by Les Line in The New York Times. A team of ecologists led by Peter Vitousek of Stanford University published an account of human domination of earth's ecosystems in the journal Science in 1997. There is no part of the globe where species and ecosystems do not already feel the weight of humanity. they go into the tundra. so that only their noses break the tableau of whiteness. Lurking in the future are the unfolding consequences of ozone depletion. Clearly. expressed by the splitting of populations into evolutionarily distinct groups. the polluted Arctic front.S. and on and on. Because of the Arctic front as well as ocean dumping of radioactive and toxic material. albeit on top of the ice rather than below. altered or destroyed. where they are taken up by animals and plants and the people who eat them. results from global air currents that pool the collected contaminants of the Northern Hemisphere over the polar region during wintertime. polar bears acquired a white coat.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and oversize feet. which help them paddle in the water and distribute their weight so that the eighthundred-pound creatures can walk on ice too thin to support a human being. leading to crushing and high mortality among chicks. 66 percent of all recognized marine fisheries either at the limit of their exploitation or already overexploited. just a few years ago.basic questions as the minimum size of a protected area necessary to preserve its life forms in perpetuity. The dominant land-based predator in this ecosystem is the polar bear. during the spring melt. To survive. both humanity and earth's creatures are now vulnerable to global forces unleashed by humans. The white bear is a kind of mirror image of a marine mammal. but the subtle ways in which climate change might throw ecosystems into chaos were dramatically demonstrated on remote Wrangell Island. an adult bear must kill an animal the size of a seal every week of its life. Even if scientists could answer these questions and impose ironclad protections for regions vital to ecosystems. BUT NOT ALTERED
. in the Russian Arctic. Some seals in the Arctic Russian Far East have radioactive growth-rings in their teeth. The contaminants condense and fall with snow. Lawrence Seaway contain such concentrations of toxins that they would be declared a hazardous-waste site in the United States. Together these adaptations make the polar bear a formidable killing machine. here DDT is one of several toxins accurnulating in the bodies of the black-footed albatross. which the birds ingest with flying-fish eggs. causes their own eggshells to thin. blubber for warmth. spending most of its life at sea. The bodies of some whales that wash up in the mouth of the St. Despite the fact that the pesticide DDT was banned by the U. Over the millennia. a giant pelagic bird with a seven-foot wingspan. and the dislocations of ecosystems that may come from climate change. The DDT. the minimum population of a species before it enters the slippery slope toward extinction. The animal has been forced to develop its stalking skills because it is a pure carnivore. The figures this group produced are awesome: half the world's mangroves. It is said that if an unarmed man sees a hungry polar bear on the ice it is already too late for escape. or when a population of a species becomes so isolated that it loses its genetic vitality. smack in the center of the Pacific Ocean and thousands of miles from any industrial or agricultural center. vital buffers and nurseries of the oceans. its use in the developing world still threatens bird life. For instance. and most industrial countries in the 1970s. Bears conceal themselves by lying on the ice facing their prey. the reach of the poisons extends to Midway Island. roughly one-quarter of all bird species on earth driven into extinction. which may be weakening the immune systems of many creatures on the planet. half the accessible fresh water on earth co-opted for human use. which concealed them from their prey. animals and humans in some of the most remote parts of the Far North carry huge concentrations of mercury and carcinogens in their fat and hair. a changed climate poses a profound threat to any creature that has adapted to a narrow range of temperature and rainfall. a curse laid on the Far North by the industrial world.

to keep pace with population growth. they have nowhere to turn for food.. an insect that is very sensitive to climate change. the salinization of fields. The amount of irrigated land around the world has not significantly increased since 1992. Somehow rice growers must find another 45percent increase. published a study in the journal Nature which detailed local extinctions and changes in the range of a butterfly called Edith's Checkerspot. author of The Song of the Dodo. The result was bloody carnage. seeking some new equilibrium. On the horizon are new strains of biotech hybrid rice and a high-yielding "super rice" now in development. quotes conservation biologists Michael Soule and Bruce Wilcox on the net result of humanity's impact on the biosphere: "There is no escaping the conclusion that in our lifetimes. Wildlands may be easily convertible into capital. wheat. Wilson uses..." If scientists do not know how an ecosystem sustains itself. barley. but (experts) estimates that these improvements might ultimately increase the rice harvest by only 25 percent. not knowing whether we are squeezing them too much. It can also take a long time for nature to recover from a spasm of extinctions. rice production has to increase by more than 70 percent in the next thirty years. 0. returning to Wrangell with the fall freeze. as predator and prey found themselves locked in tight quarters together. have conspired to produce a compelling clue to the future: an increase in the volatility of the global food system. Ten million years is the figure that the great Harvard biologist E. and erosion. That period of adjustment can be quite volatile. because it is the staple of people in warm nations who are too poor to afford anything else. the ice pack retreated dramatically. stranding polar bears and walruses on the island for the summer. soybeans. the bears leave the island in the late spring and stay on the ice pack as it shrinks toward the north. She found that warming temperatures had killed off the butterfly in much of the southern reaches of its range in Mexico. or great sources of untapped fresh water that might be used for irrigation. Where it will come from is not obvious at the moment. and rice – to feed six billion people. if not an end. Of all the clues to what lies ahead. Living With Limits A variety of signals suggest that the next round of improvements in food production are not going to be as easy as the gains achieved during the (past 50 years).. If these three billion people cannot afford rice.Ordinarily. There is absolutely no question that there will be a day of reckoning for this mad gamble. Nor are there now great stretches of wildlands ready to be brought under plow. As the players or circumstances change in any given ecosystem. we continue to squeeze them. The distinct warming of the past couple of decades has already had perceptible effects on smaller life forms as well. but that it was expanding its range in Canada and cooler areas at higher elevations. the squeezing of earth's life-support system may have the most direct and immutable ties to future instability. and it is useful to keep this figure in mind when those who doubt the seriousness of the fragmentation of habitats and the loss of biodiversity argue that societies can restore their ecosystems once they have made economic progress. Camille Parmesan. which explores the anarchy wrought by the fragmentation of nature. this planet will see a suspension. they do know that nature tends to seek equilibrium. David Quarnmen. countless species will continue to decline. All of these factors. Ignorant of the workings of the systems that sustain us. What worries (experts) is that. as there were decades ago. an entomologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara. nature adjusts. Even without climate change. plus the stresses of producing enough of five basic crops – corn. to many ecological and evolutionary processes which have been uninterrupted since the beginnings of paleontological time. In 1992. Rice has a special place in the world food system. particularly given the trends in the world today. but the reverse is not so easy. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and other forms of desertification are taking millions of acres out of production each
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but also a precursor to future instability.65 million hectares of agricultural land. The International Food Policy Research Institute estimates that 338 million people live in countries now suffering water stress. And then there is water. Infectious Disease Resurgent Down through history. blights. a rate faster than population growth. and ecosystems for ever-smaller amounts of water. for instance. As per-capita supplies of fresh water diminish. agriculture. or climate change may produce an emergency in one of the staple crops to which scientists cannot respond. Measles and other diseases. Primitive variants of basic crops such as wheat and corn carry with adaptations to an enormous variety of threats. which would divert water to irrigate 1. Africa. to threaten war. Bangladesh. not conquest. easily transportable foods has tended to focus attention on just a few crops. The need for standardized. Some corn varieties that originated in high-altitude regions of Mexico. providing protection from frosts and some defense against ultraviolet radiation. global demand increases at 2.. the two strategies tend to remain in balance. This projection represents a nine-fold increase in water scarcity in just thirty years. households. have purple tassels that may store heat. dubbed the "R-strategy" by those who study population dynamics. The competition for water also raises the likelihood of conflict between nations. These species have fewer offspring but protect and nurture them. Iraq and Syria. Developing an agricultural system to feed an expanding and increasingly urbanized world population involves a number of trade-offs. the latter issue may prove important as the ozone layer continues to deteriorate under assault by man-made chemicals. so that they are more likely to survive. which means that the region suffers major problems during drought years. When ecosystems are out of balance. and its past actions to dam the rivers have prompted its bellicose downstream neighbors. but when weather. when populations of any given species explode. and a virulent strain of influenza that circled the world in 1918-19 killed more people than World War I. This sets up a no-win competition between industry. human activities. Microbes are configured to respond extraordinarily quickly to any environmental change. BUT NOT ALTERED
. brought down the civilizations of the New World and Polynesia. will suffer water stress. creating a self-reinforcing cycle in which farmers look to increase yields and increase focus on ever-fewer varieties. Whether or not climate becomes more unstable. R-strategists secure their perpetuation through massive reproduction in very short periods of time. plagues and epidemics have brought low great empires. which once grew ten thousand variants of rive. In the normal course of life. the loss of biological diversity. They have in their favor a particular reproductive strategy. microbes tend to benefit. and at the heart of the tensions will be the issue of food security. Disease is an indicator of instability.. grown in ever more similar ways.4 percent annually. with a total population of three billion people. and the Middle East. Turkey controls the headwaters of both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The experience of recent years suggests that the shrinking margin for error that comes with diminishing surplus stocks and humanity's ever-greater dependence on a small range of seeds and diminishing supplies of fresh water will foster ever-greater turmoil. water scarcity looms as a huge limit to future increases in productivity.year. There are other instabilities inherent to the production of crops themselves. Tensions could flare again as Turkey moves to complete its $21 billion Greater Anatolia Project. disease can bring them back into balance with brutal efficiency. the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The creatures that prey on microbes and the mosquitoes and other vectors that spread disease tend to be so-called K-strategists... now relies on just five.. The danger is that pests. The possibility of conflict over water extends to dozens of countries in Asia.. IFPRI estimates that by 2025 roughly 50 countries... or some other upheaval upsets that balance.

Each of the clues discussed in earlier chapters contributes in some way to the resurgence of infectious disease. in 1346. let to a flight from cities and contributed to the development of feudalism. This is happening today on a massive scale around the world.. Paul Epstein argued that the first European plague pandemic in 541 A. The longer we ignore these systemic issues – and anything less than proactive systemic corrective strategies constitutes ignorance – the more severe the shift back to equilibrium.. in the disorder following the fall of the Roman Empire. then human civilization is headed for fundamental changes within our lifetimes. brought about a labor shortage that broke the power of feudal landlords over labor and led to the development of the middle class. The next pandemic. Diseases bring about profound change. plagues and epidemics periodically decimated cities once they grew past their capacity to dispose of wastes and maintain clean water. future historians may look back upon the respite of the past few decades as the last period in which it was safe to live in cities.D. What social change will accompany the next round of plagues when they come?" ___ If Eugene Linden is correct in any one of these scenarios. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Indeed urban migration in the developing world threatens to undo one of the great victories of the twentieth century. and he is most likely correct in all of them. the first period in which it has been safe to live in cities. as human activities and human movements transform the globe. Unfortunately. In an article for the Journal of Preventative Medicine..
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Previously.R-strategists are better poised to exploit the opportunity and proliferate.

In the fall of 1998. football pep rallies and lame tri-screen.to share with me his thoughts as we approach the millennium.ed by some hack ex-cop who evidently honed his audio/visual skills rather than his filling-out-retirementpaperwork skills. And. Besides. "Paying my respects to a tree" isn’t slang for getting high. however. I wasn’t an escapist.
Nazareth Some things are best left unsaid—things considered taboo. desires.Drew Stepek. the tree. I had to face a 150 mile per hour wake-up call to my mortality and I struggled for answers. I always thrived to come to terms with the world and myself. Its closing however. After a good conversation I sent him this message: "I'd like you to write a ten page characterization of civilization from the eyes of a young person entering college. In one respect. 40-some odd years of the toxins from the mill didn’t seem to affect the tree anywhere near as much as their absence had destroyed the town and its people. took notes and passed judgment. ethics. Standing about 35 feet. I always thought myself a realist. I never envisioned a threatened Harry Houdini rolling around in a chilling underwater grave. The latter of those three interested me the least. It was a place where I could write. After all. I discovered a way to cleanse myself of the confines of prom dates. I asked a colleague of mine -. That would be the glamorized fantasy of a romantic. Parental guidance is suggested.. a phenomenally talented young writer in Los Angeles -..C. didn’t rid this area of the unbearable pulp burning stench. Ironic that I would have ended up hidden at the most important transition of my life: my great escape. Most of the wildlife. Instead of indulging in the lackluster rah-rah of high school life. hates. I never told anyone. The question: what could I possibly add to this world-unbound? During my final year of high school. Samuel Langhorn Clemens would have found that petty. It wasn’t uncommon to stumble upon a carcass. as I concluded reading and integrating into this text one of the more powerful tales I’ve come across in the course of this work. the most unspeakable acts. extenuated by the odor of dead animals. and motives do they feel at this time in history?" He recounted this remarkable story.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. those presentations were always M. I guess I could thank that paper mill.. I don’t believe these "Drink. I chose to pay my respects to a tree. At the center of my Nirvana was a tree so magnificent. unemployed. Die" speeches are what George Lucas envisioned when he created THX. it did give me the resources to fill out the necessary paper work for a scholarship. jealous of my hidden world. The paper mill shut down about nine months ago.. Drive. Strangely enough. it is out of anguish for the youth of our world that I am motivated to act. including my workaholic father. As a mentor. Don’t worry. my mind and my confusion. amped-up motivational speeches. leaving most of our town. which I jokingly dubbed "Nazareth. I found myself hiding. passions." nested on the side of a bog bank contaminated by the atrocities of the now defunct paper mill upstream. Although the intention seemed honorable. What hopes. was killed drinking the shit that filled the water. I realize that above all other reasons for investing so much in this project. I observed the world. concerns. the most senseless of crimes. This tree was something for me to believe in. I never understood how it grew from the tainted soil of this town-condemned. think and be alone. fears. of course. It was just me. whenever I found myself faced with this cruel reality. This was the only place that I found solace. But suddenly.Endangered Individual I completed this section of The Truth with tears in my eyes. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

Danny showed me his pride. "And check this out man. Danny Wilks. the beauty never stopped me from baptizing it after a good night of writing and a few too many beers. that even the swampy muck that sucked the life out of most seedlings was forced upwards. This was not an Indian Summer. it remembered something promising about this shithole that must have existed long before my conception. The wind had started to take on a burnt embers smell as it breezed through town. what people called the uncontrollable kudzu weed." It looked like Danny was to be the first. goose-bumped faces and their protruding headlights. you’re not going to believe the news I got today. It had two extended limbs that sprouted upwards. were thousands of gnats and marsh bugs that sucked at its tears of sap. five-speaker system. twisted. Unbound. I saw a look unlike any I had ever seen him make: one of pride. he wasn’t the brightest kid I knew. eternally reaching for some sort of hope. it grew on phone lines. Actually they weren’t much of a rival in the truest sense of the word. "Look what my old man got me. bundled up and tribally face-painted red and black (the school colors). Unseen." Then." He said as we jumped into his overly-lifted Jeep CJ-7. Luckily for him. Quite the contrary. I’m sure that it had nothing to do with the fact that the kid stood five-six on his tip-toes and weighed a buck-twenty with his pockets filled with bars of gold. BUT NOT ALTERED
. red. His father. players and left them for the over-populated janitorial staff to clean up. We grew up directly across the street from each other. he had spent much of his early life juiced-up on Ritalin to control his outbursts of hyperactivity. As the thundering drums and stinging vocals of one of the evilest songs in history blared out of his trick. we hadn’t beaten them in over 20 years. it had been there for as long as I could remember. came from old money. this tree wasn’t going anywhere. Tommy and Danny consecutively). all of these birthright setbacks never stunted his optimism. he was rich by our town’s standards. "Hey man. "Stigmata" by Ministry. You see. Sadly. kid. and I headed out to the game to cheer on the team. Unnoticed. Also plagued with ADD and dyslexia. As a matter of fact. I had known Danny almost my entire life. Trudy. If you left your car untended long enough. Evidently. I’m out of here. Wrapping and covering almost every other inch of the colossus was "the virus vine"—that was. As a matter of fact. it was bitterly cold. "I got into State early admission. He opened the letter before I got home from school today. rolling right back down into the bog. Timmy. We were the weakest and smallest team in our conference. kudzu seemed to be the scapegoat that spread and covered and swallowed our town—eliminating it and all of its moral value from the face of the earth. He was always impressed by the primetime feel of bright lights and shiny helmets but always insisted that he could never play the game because of his inability to concentrate. It grew on houses. it grew on your car. torn and weathered beyond recognition. This particular night. shall I say. the homecoming football game my senior year. The one gift from his
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. We lost 45-3. Buck Wilks had made some sound investments years ago and his mother. Although nothing was worse than losing your homecoming game every year. Although quite a majestic landmark. Luckily. As he popped the clutch to take off. he kicked his theme song. into the CD player. in our part of the country. he subtly injected. Unsaid. A behemoth from top to bottom. However. II The first time that I made one of three donations to Nazareth was early last October. the base was so thick and soundly embedded into the ground. The youngest of four Wilks boys (Billy. the cheerleaders were so cold that not even their leggings and mascot-blessed sweaters could help them avoid the crowd heckling them. Maybe the town was best that way. there wasn’t a whole lot to cheer for. Dave "Launch" Lonchar’s day job was playing soccer. this year it didn’t seem to faze football fanatic Danny. Brought to the tree by the moisture from the venomous swamp." As he reached into his center console. maybe-they-should-have-playedsoccer. Our homecoming rival blasted through our rag-tag bunch of. our field goal kicker.Quite a persistent old bastard. he spent a lot of time in those "special" classes. fighting away the always lurking smell of the old paper mill. He seemed to be the team’s only real asset and helped save a little bit of face. their mascara-enhanced. The shaft displayed the agony of a martyr’s face.

After being pinned as an underachiever and a dunce by ignorant teachers most of his life. this pen can write on anything" he began. You outta here boyeeeeeee!" yelled the star field goal kicker. "I don’t know. "You’re telling me. He didn’t care about the price." He then complemented his ridiculous sports fan outfit by placing his trophy in his front shirt pocket. After driving around for close to an hour." I answered. it’s indestructible. It’s the middle of October and he’s already building a shrine to the baby Jesus. He just cared about his accomplishment and what this pen.hard-ass father that wasn’t a token of his wealth…at least to Danny. the locals would do just about anything to raise their spirits and keep themselves busy." "Whoa!!! Fair enough. "Hey. Last one to take ‘em down. I hate this place. We all had problems communicating our fears. "Well. It was a Mont Blanc pen. symbolized. whistling away and lacing the house with bright flashing lights. The fools in this town really believe that it’s going to re-open. "No. A few of the football players are having a party. it truly reflected his rising above the hubbub. I’m an ass. It was a skill that he had mastered. out there somewhere. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Where are we going. She’s a little messed up. I only write on paper. When was the last time that twig had a burger? She needs to get with it. "If you could only learn how to speak as well as you write. "Susan has kind of a strange family. Probably to honor Lonchar for putting some numbers on the board. "Hey man. There has to be a better truth. He saw the teachers as moving too fast. but I didn’t have a clue as to the motivation behind her stepfather’s holiday-envy. dick head. Lonchar. he didn’t really see himself as a slow learner." he said. with his name engraved on it. Danny and I ended up parking at McDonald’s—a common meeting place for all those anxious seniors who were looking for the locale of the night’s festivities. "and according to the little manual that came with it. "Oh. I knew that Susan was anorexic and didn’t think it was any of Danny’s business." I left it at that. "Dude. I heard about State." "Thanks." He gave me a shadow boxer "duck and punch" and then gunned out of the high school parking lot. abandoned paper mill. so you can read. I just want to get out of here. from across the parking lot. alright then. "Check it. Then.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. a better life. Dano." "I think there is more to it than that." I don’t really know why I said it. what’s up with Susan’s step dad and the Christmas lights?" At first I didn’t know what he was talking about. Life doesn’t revolve around an old. man. I guess since the paper mill closed." He lunged back. Hers all seemed to be buried and concealed deeply inside. "I don’t know. Maybe because he didn’t realize that it was worth more than I made in a month. The guy couldn’t have been happier. I said the unthinkable." As we drove by Susan’s house. anyway?" I asked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I haven’t seen any acceptance letter for you yet pal." I knew Susan Glass well. you’re letter will come. For example. as well as our friendship." That was Danny’s way of dressing up piece of shit with a cherry. I looked out the plastic Jeep window and there was Rick Conroy. Maybe she fasts all year and feasts on Christmas. I don’t give a fuck where it comes from. First one to get them up every year. I didn’t mean to say that. It just kind of fired out…out of jealousy. I quickly tried to salvage the conversation. Don’t worry D.

However. The field goal hero was surrounded by an entourage of star-struck girls. As we passed him. Funny. that resentful sentence continued to echo through my mind. If you didn’t know any better. Any partyin’ a-goin’ on later?" Gerald was the one great hope that our football team ever had of winning a homecoming game. then moved to America at a young age. What up?" The Do-nut man of the night was our football team’s ex-all star running back Gerald Denn." Danny answered. Gerry. "Hey man. "What up. He had a bushy home-sculpted mullet hairdo. the only place that this kid would qualify as a familiar face was Hell. I want to play soccer. Butane is not a proper inhalant when mixed with crystal meth. I owed it to him." He laughed and shuffled through his pockets as we entered Al’s to the ringing. "Hey D. It was the tongue of my desperation. If you didn’t know any better you’d swear that Lonchar had just won the Super Bowl and signed a seven-figure commercial deal with McDonald’s. D?" He returned. "Football. it was obvious that a part-time football career paid fairly well." "Hey boys. nudging the champ in the ribs. Marcus Garvey and Jah himself." "Yeah. "You’re drivin’. Maybe I can talk to the State football coach. "Take note young Daniel. "Do you want to come in D? Maybe you can get something. both Danny and I anticipating a messy night. you’ve heard the saying about big fish in a small
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Parents are gone. he gave us a once over and remained fully tuned into his important conversation. aggro kid ranting nervously at passers-by and screaming into the phone. that’s cool. "Ya think? That kid needs some sugar about as much as I do right now. We’ll catch you there. two kegs and probably whatever other poison you want. and sweat beading-up on his Cro-Magnon brow. It didn’t bother me. a honey glazed and a couple of the gross old ones to throw at people at Dodger’s house. Peter Tosh." I joked." was the only thing that I could say." "Sounds good man." I had come to terms with the fact that I would be babysitting for a drunken maniac that night. He told everyone that he was born in Jamaica. As we pulled in front of the donut shop. Bunny Wailer. a cheap pleather jacket. judging from his sunken black eyes and beyond pasty skin."Nice field goal Launch." I said as we headed out of the parking lot. his parents could never afford to send him to college and his grades…well…maybe it was a good night for him to be "The Man. "Deed mine boys sing redemption tonight?" A funny thing about Gerald was that after ninth grade he began speaking like a Rastafarian. I left my dinero in the car. BUT NOT ALTERED
. On our way into Al’s Do-Nuts. distorted doorbell." "I and I did not tink so. order me a bear claw. he was just passing through. I hoped that he would forgive me. we both noticed an unfamiliar. picking up a package from one of the unemployed town folk striving to make ends meet. you’d swear he was the long lost descendant of Bob Marley." They both shared a laugh and then proceeded to cheers each other in the air." "Cool. The voice of a caged and spiteful animal. As much as Lonchar joked. Obviously. Can we stop at the donut shop and pick up a snack? I didn’t want to get too wasted. The sad thing was. "Guess. Hey. Dodge is having a jammie at his house. I suspected that his birth records would tell a different story and that the whole charade was an excuse to smoke a lot of weed and look fashionable." I looked at Danny and I couldn’t think of anything worse than donuts and beer for a hyperactive kid having the most exciting night of his life so far. I didn’t get anything to eat before the game.

" Danny answered. "Maybe we should invite psycho to Dodger’s house. Unlike most of the ex-sports heroes who still lusted for the glory years. huh? "Oh. Just write it down on your hand." I guess I forgot about the living dead lingering outside." Before I could dig into Danny about lending out the pen. Danny fumbled through his pockets. Maybe if you wash your hands first. t’looks like Dano s’havin’ some trouble with dat ragamuffin outside. ‘Ere is dem donuts. A blanket party was our way of letting troublemakers know that they stepped out of line. "That freak just wanted to borrow my pen to write down a number. or an homage to the infamous "Code Reds" of the military. something caught his attention. dream. we would pull a blanket over someone’s head and then beat them until they begged for mercy. That pen writes on anything. Dano. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The only thing that he had was his acceptance letter to state. the mullethead plowed into the shop. It’s a gift. Dodge and those clowns are having a party. the bell chimed and the mystery man shot through the door. What’s happening Ger?" "Natta much. D. After one article too many in the local newspaper about the great Gerald Denn. Can you grab me a bear claw. "What was that all about. Then. Looks like he could use a beer. He did however. the bell signaled that Danny was already on his way in. It was obvious that he was heating up because the red and black face paint started to run together all over the place." Once again." Danny didn’t even seem to think twice about lending his trophy. "Where is it now?" "He’s bringing it in when he’s finished. Can I buy this pen off of you?" he asked Danny. he took some night classes and successfully completed his G. Nonetheless. beginning to get a little perturbed." I asked. before I could turn around. It didn’t exactly work out the way he expected. Why don’t you go down the street to Rite Aid and buy one?" "Because I need to copy down this information now. Nice. Once again. you’ll be able to read it." he said as he flicked open a bag and masterfully juggled the donuts into the bag. let’s bring him there and give him a blanket party. "No. The rest is Do-Nut history." "He better. Funny how you never seem to have a piece of paper when you need it. "Hey man. You got any paper?" Once again. The doorbell didn’t work. a honey glazed and a couple of those old heinous ones?" "Is done. he tried extremely hard not to talk about the past.. "Ey. the bell didn’t work. Oh well. because at first I didn’t register Gerald’s comment. relax.pond.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Usually performed as a joke. He was picking at the scabs on his face and his right eye twitched like someone had just sprayed him in the face with a sandblaster." I shot. "Yeah. "Fuck that. he dropped out his junior year and tried to go pro.E." Danny had cooled down but I was quickly absorbing his anger. "Nope.D. "God dammit!" The severely neurotic kid yelled as he spun around in a frenzy and headed back to the phone.

" The pleather clad warrior kicked the door open and returned to the phone. it happened. he didn’t own the shop. just write down your info and give it back. In an attempt to alleviate some of the stress."Don’t be a dick. I’ll give you twenty bucks for it. dude. Then. This was really starting to get annoying. I owe you something for being an ass earlier. BUT NOT ALTERED
. "I got it Dan. "Look fuck.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." I reached across the counter to give Gerald my money." One of his face pickings had started to bleed. I need this pen. Danny was beginning to show early signs of that hyperactive youth who used to light himself on fire and jump into the lake behind his house as a joke. Gerald didn’t seem agitated. I stepped up to the counter in front of Danny. Besides.

Without looking again. How heroic of me. Breathe. "Breathe. what did I have to compete with. the limbs weakly dangled like the ornaments on a pathetic Christmas tree. so I figured he had taken cover with us as well. I hadn’t ever heard a gat fired so close to me. saying that I should have it. It was difficult to tell where his blood stopped and where his smeared makeup began. I never felt that anything could make people listen like the written word. the stoners and their Gonzo-esque carbon copies of Hunter S. something true. he headed down the highway where he was eventually pursued by the local cops. tearing the nails through the limbs of the tree. Two seconds later. I spent the day home "sick" from school so I could crank out a couple poems that were due for my creative writing class. With the senseless loss of Danny. BUT NOT ALTERED
. but he insisted that it belonged to me. It was even harder to tell who he was. Coward. I didn’t hear Danny cry out. He twitched. my balls shriveled into my chest. After my initial shock. I wanted to tell something bold. A week later. Thompson. I was beginning to lose interest in the majesty of Nazareth. I knew that they wouldn’t take me that long to complete but I really wanted to leave high school with a bang and make my presence as a writer remembered. Besides. As terror thrusted up my veins. I had weakened the pleading appendages. after the killer bailed from Al’s. I didn’t think that I was ever going to be able to write with it. I was reluctant to take it. beyond the mixed pile of donuts.FWAP! FWAP! FWAP! Three gunshots rang out behind me. With my eyes closed. swerved off the road and was engulfed in the flames of his car. securing a long nylon rope connected to an old tire. While driving towards the Bay Bridge. his only escape route. I was shaking so hard that the cheap imitation glass donut case rattled and the cakes inside fell from their designated homes." is all I managed to get out. I was so furious that I ripped down the apparatus. I quickly dug a hole at the Herculean base and buried Danny’s trophy. some neighborhood kids had constructed a rope swing by hammering two railroad spikes into his hands. I turned and hoisted the blasphemous plaything into the sewer. With one eye. Instead of clutching towards any prospect for survival." Buck Wilks sniffed out in a shattered voice. surprisingly. Since I hadn’t taken the time to deal with Danny’s death. "The bastard didn’t even have the balls to face his crime. and saw his Mont Blanc pen tightly gripped in his hand. I looked down at my mangled life-long friend. The fiery rage pumping through my arms quickly froze midstream when I noticed what I had done. I looked up through the display case. It shook my teeth and burnt my gums. Breathe God dammit. Love. the theatre kids and their obsession with the bored rebellion of Holden Caufield. I crossed the street to the Wilks’s house. it didn’t upset me. I told him that the killer didn’t have any idea of the pen’s value. he emptied the gun into his own face. That night. I went to visit Nazareth to bury Danny’s trophy at the foundation. forcing sap to gush out everywhere. Gerald was shivering in shock. the reluctant bell rang and the gunman was instantly squealing out of the parking lot. After pacing unconstructively around Nazareth in a zombified lethargy. Apparently. the first one of my allies to escape. Maybe he blamed himself for giving Danny such an expensive gift. His father gave me the pen. As I began to lose control of my breathing and collapse. At first. His arms fluttered uncontrollably and then his last living squirt of blood spat all over the front of the counter. Dad" proudly displayed in the poorly lit ambiance of Al’s Do-Nut shop. another ring was added to Nazareth’s long life. Much to my chagrin. He twitched again. I was also shaking. I concluded that every other kid in my class was going to sum up the closing of the paper mill and how it had taken its toll on our town. He couldn’t bear the sight of what remained of his youngest son. I jumped behind the counter with Gerald who had already taken cover. I decided to leave that topic to one of the many girls in
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Engraved on the base was "You did it. Angered. I propped myself up slowly. and the countless other caustic attempts at metaphorically mutating "roses are red" by paying tribute to Tupac Shakur or Biggie Smalls. Danny. III In the winter. Terrified. All I could see was slightly twitching remains of college student Danny Wilks.

Jesus Christ. However. It was obvious that she suffered from severe anorexia and it seemed to consume all of her time. "How come you never told anybody?" I whispered. I read it to myself over and over. I guess I finally had the solution to her maze and the reasoning for how such a beautiful girl with everything going for her would want to re-invent herself as something unappealing. even when she goes to the store to pick up a couple of things. Susan Glass’s misery was the first thing that came to mind… Susan was always a really close friend to everyone. you whore! Angie!’ All over the house. I called Sue and asked her to meet me at the McDonald’s parking lot. I searched what I knew about her for an answer to her perpetual self destruction." "Sue. I just wanted to…" I began. All of her friends ignored her cry for help. At dusk. She pulled out a cigarette. That fabulous shaft supported my back and kept me attentive to the task I had outlined for myself. unable to reproduce. I remember one time when I went out to get some frozen yogurt with her. she pulled her trademark Zippo out of her pocket. but she kept to herself. Then. "heil!" One day she took me aside in tears. excited about my tribute. ‘Angie! Angie. circular motion. A couple of my friends and I used to make fun of her mustache and call her "Hitler. I came upon a frightening realization. paying tribute to Christ. I was finally satisfied with the finished product. It all made sense. relying on a societal debate concerning high school females and their infatuation with super models. He beats me like his bitch and calls me by his dead wife’s name. creating something true. she threw a fit at the poor employee when he refused to measure the already non-fat yogurt into exactly 10 oz. exclaiming.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. from behind her ear. lit the cigarette and returned the faithful lighter to its home. my poem may have been driven by a plea of forgiveness. Still. All she does is sit around or relive her glory years as the homecoming queen by stumbling around the house with her stupid crown on. It was…poetic. thin layer of hair everywhere on her body. So. The first real piece of poetry that I had ever written. "He fucks me all the time. The power of her tears piled on top of her chiseled jaw. He won’t stop. the stench of the bog was a painful reminder of life’s setbacks and the atrocities tucked away in the deepest clearings of the town. I guess deep down I thought it a little selfish for someone who lived in this town to refuse food." "Susan. I remember thinking in admiration. you should have told someone other than me. I worked all that day under the weakened arms of Nazareth. we would stand attention and salute her by lunging our arms into the air. I didn’t want to expose her personal demons to my teachers or make her uncomfortable around her peers. but the result was a painting of her beauty. For this. I don’t have a problem and I don’t want to be your secret little joke. she ignores what she may or may not know. explaining that because of the affliction." I didn’t want to be the sole protector of such an incredibly sick secret. picked up weight and then fell onto her sweater in piles. I’m not your freak. he rapes me. "Would you tell anybody? My mom? She’s always so piss drunk. It was everything I hoped it would be. "You can’t bring this to class!" she screamed as she read of the words in horror. She agreed. I diverted my attention elsewhere. D. "You will totally single me out." As I searched through my mind to try and pin-point Susan’s latest co-dependent. When my mom goes out. You don’t understand. Sure. skeletal. Nevertheless. She must have practiced that move so many times to get it right. probably the first of her second or third pack of the day. as a friend I have to tell somebody. "What? Tell everyone how fucked-up I am. her body’s hormones produced a soft. I owed her something. but I did want to let her know that I cared. She was very obsessed and all the warning signs were there. "He fucks me. D. in one swift. She doesn’t care." "Rick?" Rick Conroy always seemed so happy.." She continued to look at my poem and began to cry. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the completion of her maze lead back to the beginning. stringing his Christmas lights." Whenever she walked by.class who fancied themselves his widow.

"Take it. The next day." She pulled deep on her cigarette and shot me a trusting look. Susan jumped off the Bay Bridge. I hear those tweaked cunts who pretend to be my friends say they want to help when they are secretly wishing they were as thin as me. D. but she insisted. She followed her token of love by performing this crazy skeleton dance. It’s killing me. Now!" All I could do was offer simple solutions to the terror of her existence. it was a letter from State. About a week and a half later. "You aren’t a freak. I heard Lonchar yelling. She was cold as she lifted away. If I find out that you told anyone. Lonchar is on the phone. "Okay I promise. You aren’t God here. BUT NOT ALTERED
. I heard her bones creak as she carefully exited the car. I thought it was funny." "It’s not that easy."No way." This was no time for a hero. "What? What are you talking about?" I wasn’t really shocked. She may still be alive. "What do you want Launch. Then." I grumbled as I wiped away the first signs of snot from my eyes. My mom answered it and immediately rushed into my room. I’m getting out of here. I don’t want to be the freak. This time. same precision. romantic writing style." We both laughed and the exchange was made. "You have to quit suffering. I’m sleeping. flapping her grossly thin body around like an uncontrollable marionette. Dodge must be having another one of his epic all-nighters. I know what people say. She bounced around aimlessly. "Keep your mouth shut. I felt loss and delivery creep up my body. she pulled it out slowly. I couldn’t feel her pain. "Honey. They haven’t found her yet. I thought. "About Rick? Rick who? Chambers? Were they dating? No. refusing her admission. "D! D! Are you there? D! Are you there?
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. I am going to stay with my sister until summer and I’ll find out next week whether or not I got into State. I will kill you. the phone rang at around 2:00 in the morning. He says that it’s really important. As I walked away. my teacher didn’t agree with my views on obscure literary references focusing on Twain and how he was consumed by James Fenimore Cooper and his fraudulent. I might go up there and search around. "What did the note say? Was it about Rick?" Quickly." The phone dropped from my hand and I started to gag. "Can I keep this? I’ll give you my lighter. I ended up turning in an obvious poem about the closing of the paper mill how it would have affected Mark Twain. At least Susan’s secret was safe." She continued to look at the poem and continued to cry. I see how all of you make jokes about me. Apparently. I have to quit smoking. but it spoke powerfully and burned my skin through her eyes. My grades are pretty solid…err…at least until this year." Great. "Dude. Same motion. They found her car parked out there with a note. I thought. My mom has the money tucked away from when my grandfather died. Just keep it to yourself. she poked her head in and blew me a kiss." "Thanks. I attempted to shoo it away . just confused. I got a C. This was her way of letting me know everything was okay." From her pocket she pulled out her precious Zippo." She flicked her cigarette out the window and immediately lit up another. You just need help. LOOK AT ME!" she screeched revealing her lifeless bone of a limb by pulling up the arm of her sweater. but my teacher fancies herself quite a Deerslayer when it comes to grading.

Breathe God dammit. thin stock of paper. It felt thin. I bit my lip. I saw him in a completely different light. I could always go to the community college and raise my grades. my parents were gone. "This isn’t about grades. leaving a mess and creating a perpetual circle of mistakes for us to clean up. He seemed weathered. I sat down and began tearing the envelope open.
IV I remember the feeling when I opening the mail box that Spring day. what did he want? Did something happen?" I picked up Susan’s Zippo from my bed stand and headed out. good people are killed for saying what they want. This was a problem that couldn’t have been solved by an extra two ounces of yogurt. bending it for contents—I expected nothing but the worst. I enjoyed the mystery of what lay ahead. image drives violence in the inner-city. there was only a sole letter. I dropped Susan’s provider into the hole and covered it up. murderers get off because of their social status. Something I wouldn’t have noticed except I always envisioned my college acceptance or rejection letter would be printed on a thick paper. and the figure heads of the world vomit all over themselves. I thought about Danny Wilks and Susan Glass for the first time since they had passed. I’m sure that even in her decomposed state she was still as beautiful as she had always been. "Well. I walked into my room and put on my clothes. They wouldn’t have to see my disappointment as I unfolded the letter. Why was the world I was escaping to any better than the one that I lived in? Where exactly was I going? What did I expect to do with my life? Then. The darkness may have been deceiving. nicely folded on a cheap. They would eventually find her decayed body in the next couple of days. My mom peaked in through my door. "Honey. It washed up on the banks of the bay. Shooting through my mind were thoughts like. pulled it out and my stomach howled. I would then hear my personal devil’s advocate answer. Never looking down. There was a single piece of paper inside. I began to read. That wasn’t a good sign. tired. What was so good about the world? Was it any better than the dying town where I lived? Am I supposed to have these answers? Did Danny or Susan? Everything that I looked forward to. I knew deep down that she didn’t see any other way out. "Why would I. beaten down. Danny. I fell to my knees and began digging directly next to the burial location of Danny’s trophy. I’ll be back in a little while. Unlike the past few months. BUT NOT ALTERED
. I immediately knew what it was. but at night he didn’t look as strong. Fairly unimpressive for the foretelling of my future. And looking at the moonlight shadow. At that time. I unfolded the first flap. More thoughts raced through my mind." As I sat down and continued to play with the letter—holding it up to the light. What if I just didn’t fit in? What if I couldn’t cut as a writer? I unfolded the second flap revealing the contents of my life. untarnished. I wanted her beauty to live on forever. laced with gold and ripe for framing. it’s your only chance. As much as I wished that it was all a hoax. She was so close to escaping. everything that I had ever wanted was on this one piece of paper. I clearly saw her agony released. I immediately noticed that it was about three paragraphs in length. I decided to keep her secret. a kid from a shitty little town beat out every other aspiring writer to get a scholarship to a stuffy private school?" Luckily. Is our world so fucked up and deranged? What did they have to look forward to? What could they change? For God’s sake this is a world where the President fucks his intern with a cigar. Breathe! "Don’t worry about it mom." I should have told her something but I had another agenda. in which I opened the box only to be showered with a number of countless delinquent bills that my parents had tried unsuccessfully to ignore. he didn’t reflect any tangible form other than a big pile of kudzu.As I thought about Sue jumping off the 50 foot Bay Bridge. Breathe. Fuckers! They spelled my name
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. She knew she was trapped. When I went to Nazareth to bury Susan’s lighter at its base.

I wanted to cry. the speed freak coward and me…the jealous asshole. just like he said. Senseless. Now. Even the smaller disciples across the bog were mowed down. It was about more than escape for her. I guess I lost interest. The thin paper burned brightly." After a good dinner. "You did it. Gerald the dreamer. Are you sure you want to leave?" my mother pleaded. honey. pushing him to the end as quickly a possible. extending his hand for a firm shake. It was almost as if his leg was working as a death machine. "I don’t know. I pulled out the lighter. You did it. I read the first line. the blood from his wounds pumped out. a health conscious smoothie joint or any countless number of new age franchises that no one in this town can afford to frequent." I read the inscription aloud to the fallen Nazareth. "Congratulations. Lonchar the hero. V As I counted the days before my triumphant escape. Why should I give faith to something based solely on its test of time? My internal focus grew as my dependency on higher powers disappeared. a second. Danny masked behind his ridiculous face make-up. I wanted to write and I wanted out. However." It was roughly the same thing that my father had said to me. becoming nothing more than a lesson—a perverse structure. I can see it now. "Are you going to go and show it to your friends?" "Something like that.wrong! Well. but he was proud of me. I took my letter off of the fridge. Like I said before. I’m a realist." my father said. Dad. As a matter of fact. a moment and twitched. They both went to college. Nothing. certain elements always flashed by. one lucky flame. just a pew surrounded by a lump of torn kudzu and left-over bark. All I could think about was her pain. you have been accepted on scholarship to attend…" I was in! When my parents arrived home that evening—my father had taken on a part-time job as an engineering consultant a few towns over and my mother worked at the local book store—I proudly showed them my conquest. What could have been done to prevent their deaths. I held my acceptance letter up and in one circular motion. It was horrible. BUT NOT ALTERED
. burnt the tips of my fingers. I then dug for Danny’s trophy. they leveled this entire area sometime over the past couple of months. however. an enigma in our decaying society. and religions fade away. I cleared away the piles of Nazareth and dug up Danny’s trophy and Susan’s provider. "Good job. Although I had tried to shut out that fateful night for the rest of my life.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. a pop culture coffee house. I handed my father the letter. but eventually the flames became uncontrollable and the letter doubled over and collapsed on itself. son. "Fuckers! They spelled our name wrong. Sure enough. I am still haunted by the sight Danny’s shaking body. Love. They spelled my name wrong and I knew my dad would make sure they sent another. begging for a minute. Once. that wasn’t important. it was indeed "indestructible. He just laid there. idols. just as much as old Buck Wilks was of Danny. I know he would have rather had me go to some military school. the military brainwash of his academy school and the Lutheran teachings of her mid-western school didn’t appeal to me. As his leg quivered uncontrollably. First. Before I could dispel the last corner. I’m sure they’ll build a strip mall or something equally worthless." I had one last sacrifice to make to the great icon. I sat on the stump of the powerful Nazareth. I lit it on fire. security blankets. One last duty. standing so proud. Unbeknownst to me. I lit the Zippo’s flint as I envisioned Susan’s one-motion trick that she had proudly mastered. The paper slowly burned away and the light breeze broke the ends off and exiled them to the disgusting waste of the bog below. not a dreamer. When you’re forced to grow up. Maybe. they both went to a better college than the one I had gotten into. I don’t think that spending any more time here would have made any difference. crutches. It wouldn’t bring Danny and Susan back.

I fell into the wall in front of me. huh?" He wiped some sweat off of his forehead. "Kind of a fucked up year." I headed towards the locker room. I didn’t have a piece. And then. proudly placed Danny’s pen in my front pocket and headed home. BUT NOT ALTERED
. "Good job D. Launch was going to make it out of here. It wasn’t my hiding place anymore and it wasn’t the burial ground of my friends. Just as I lifted my arm to throw that fucking pen. It’s free. I walked up to his ladder. Some things are best left unsaid. After collecting my memories. I cried. I started to observe. Provided he got that soccer player nonsense out of his head. I dropped everything that I was holding. Frantic. It was Rick Conroy. that terrible fucking pen." I stopped and then slowly picked up a piece of bark from one of Nazareth’s two reaching limbs. "It’s alright. I can feel something’s coming in from the west though. "Yeah bro. I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. I looked down at my watch. Apparently. Hatred. I walked by the football field and saw Lonchar kicking field goals. I came to my school. It’s strange when everything seems to come together. The dilapidated homes. Shocked. Sure enough. I kicked at the stump and smashed scraps of bark. Kind of a very fucked up year. For the first time in a long while. Some things aren’t. crushing the worthless remains of Nazareth as the blazing hell of Ministry’s "Stigmata" pounded in my head. "Wha??? Oh. Pick your own poison. "Yeah. After I walked by the high school. It had finally been useful. I dialed a number." Lonchar booted a 40 yard filed goal. and only this time. Why is that every time you really need a piece of paper you can’t find one? I began stamping around like a lunatic. "You gotta problem son? What’re lookin’ at?"
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. I’ll be there. Catch you later. huh Mr. ya scared me. our good natured principal hired an over-abundant amount of out-of-work custodians when the mill closed. All I could do was stare at him. It was not the number of my house. "Nice night." I turned around." "Thanks. I just got some shit to take care of first. Then. most likely the cleanest high school in the country. This time. snorted and spat onto the ground. he stayed late after soccer practice to warm up for next year’s football season. I shredded pieces of the virus vine. It was late. this pen can write on anything. There he was. Just like Danny at Al’s Do-Nuts. April 16th: nowhere near Christmas. so I fished Susan’s lighter out of the smelly pissing hole. Honeys everywhere. I paid my last respects to the fallen God. Anything for that freak to write down whatever information was so fucking important. put the piece of bark under my arm. tearing down the lights that were still covering the house like an overgrowth of kudzu. It was good. I was unleashed. I wrote the truth. whistling away. a memory surged through my head. My truth. A real kick-ass party. the rummage growing in the yards…it was all so wrong. God. I hung it up. You up?" he yelled across the field. I hesitated and then just as easily as I had picked up the receiver. uncaged. It felt good.I fumbled around in my pockets for a piece of paper to write on. I threw Susan’s lighter into the bog. if he had a piece of paper. Conroy?" I said angelically." He looked up at the sky. since Danny’s death. "Dude. I picked up the phone and started to dial my house." He re-adjusted his hat. Use the phone over there by the locker room. To be sure I wasn’t dreaming. As far as I knew. I heard the news from your mom when I called you to tell you about a shindig tonight at Dodger’s pad. "Oh. listening to his grunts and groans. your mom told me to tell you to call if I ran into you.

" I continued to walk and he continued to scream. "What does this mean? Who are you?" He didn’t run after me. It’s almost like you want to constantly bring joy to the town. "Hey. I heard sirens. remembering my message. I’m talking to you. "Merry Christmas fucker!" I whispered." I placed the piece of bark at the bottom of the ladder and walked away.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Walking away. I just kept walking." he answered confused. The great Harry Houdini would be proud. what in the hell?" I heard him stepping down from the ladder but I didn’t turn around. Walking home. "Well." "Somethin’ like that.Quickly. here. he didn’t understand the message that I scrawled on the bark. ya little shit. "Boy. I’ve decided to bring joy to this town as well. "I just think that it’s brilliant how you leave your Christmas lights up practically all year round. As his ranting became more distant. kid?" He screamed after me. I shook myself out of the hypnotic death stare and got myself together. BUT NOT ALTERED
. nearly out of my reach. "Is this some kind of joke.

First. friends. faiths – and refuse to promote balanced and truthful education of what behavior is truly risky and what is simply unscientific and unnatural fundamentalist moralism. or the rape of the resources of a younger nation. is it any wonder that a generation of inner city youth becomes utterly demoralized? When fictional entertainment becomes the only source of powerful storytelling. but we will ultimately become a happier people. across an ocean or a street. sex. In such a time. the fouling of a river. and just as ethically vacant as its present fiction. We must realize that murder is murder whether it occurs in a nanosecond or a decade. the devastation of a rainforest. Western civilization’s greatest single crime is the form of lying called denial – bearing false witness to ourselves. We pound absolute guilt into their minds regarding natural explorations of adolescence – bodies. is it any wonder that we see the crumbling of goodness? I weep for the human race when its future potential is so depressed as to become less mysterious. When the robust education that will spark the young mind is unreachable by the average child. and act to confront these challenges using the best ideas available. We see these portents of future crises in evidence all around us. not only do we deny their obstacles and pain. we have lost the opportunity to found our culture on the bedrock of long-term survival. and then keep the same vision out of reach for all but a few. and we find no global leadership rising even to the level of mediocrity to confront its implications. We paint the vision of college and "success". we should pay very dear. Our politicians must focus on these issues. music. in the fullest possession of the knowledge of the consequences of our choices and the means to make better choices. are we truly surprised to witness children reaching for frightening alternative ways to expand the meaning of their lives? When the real-life prospects of a child’s future can never even come close to the fantasies of Madison Avenue. We complain about violence in entertainment and fail to tune it out. with the hope that has characterized humanity through our history. acknowledge. close attention to the promising research into new realms of science whose applications speak
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. hope is lost.The Crisis Faced by Our Children With the market forces of Wall Street dictating a three-month horizon to the vision of civilization. What will save the children not so gifted or lucky to escape the horrors of today's inner city life? How will society grapple with the resulting catastrophe as those children raise children? How are all of our children – in every city and town and of every class – going to deal with the environmental catastrophes we are creating for them as our legacy? How will the history books remember this generation? When our children are young. The economy of a once-superpower has imploded in the face of the first of many cold winters of depression. And we haven't even begun to talk about the psychosocial crises within our own back yards – crises of education. and the stories are ethically bankrupt. or they are unfit to be given the public's most sacred trust. We complain about their education and then fail to educate. yet we bicker over President Clinton's sex life. and we devolve. Some changes may be difficult to absorb. we inflict them. advancement. What shall we do in the face of these challenges? Shall we simply turn away and ignore them? Shall we rely upon some kind of magical salvation? Of course not. These crimes are made more deeply wrong because Western civilization boasts "the most educated societies in the world". teach. substances. we should study. Second. the disintegration of a childhood. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the crumbling of a city in debilitating poverty. through the barrel of a gun. We should commit ourselves along two paths. and happiness. the trust of our future. less full of wonder. dreams. economics. and crime. What makes these human challenges all the more painful to witness is the degree to which we self-impose ignorance of them. We punish our children as our proxies – for they show the symptoms of our crimes of negligence. We glamorize their beautiful faces and then ridicule their average ones.

these two endeavors are worthy of the sustained focus of the body of concerned governing leaders around the world. If the United Nations is in search of a true mission beyond hollow-sounding proclamations in behalf of peace. Studies at the forefront of science reveal the startlingly imminent possibility that the energy. firing the imagination for an eternity of human generations. and biological technologies of the future will look very little like those of today. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The studies and research appear to indicate these new technologies are "green" – extracting energy from the vacuum of space-time itself. The earlier we begin to seriously deal with these issues and pioneer these technologies. And new technologies of propulsion will break open the frontier of space-time.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. transportation.fundamentally to every one of these crises: a new emerging understanding of space-time itself. as one global community. This sober and serious agenda is one for the world as a whole to approach. with no known by-product of ecological damage. the less abrupt will be the force of change in our future.

Something else is. manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty. It will remain unfinished. It shows much promise. to the present day. community. religions and philosophies that have acted as beacons along the way. religions and philosophies. The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Contemplating the mysteries of the heavens. this feeling. of falling from a great height. is as good as dead. or ever will be. is the center of true religion. it has supported our ascent to a dizzying height." – Albert Einstein Despite the depth of our societal challenges. we have the power to decide the fate our planet and ourselves. government. In the January 1999 issue of Scientific American.
"The Cosmos is all that is. about the Cosmos and our place within it. the universe is now seen to be infinite: perhaps bounded in space. and stand rapt in awe.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. religion. A relative newcomer to mankind's cultural journey is the beacon of science. but. judgment. and the cycle of life and death. which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive forms. a catch in the voice. homo sapiens has struggled to understand its place in the universe. We know we are approaching the grandest of mysteries. a revolution in Cosmology is unfolding before our very eyes: the rate of expansion of the Cosmos is accelerating. is our tiny planetary home. achievement. as there will always be more to learn. including all branches of civilization upon which it stands: science. our ancestors' effort to extract meaning from their experience has helped give rise to myths. For all the flaws in the ladder of history.. For the first time. and justice never before seen in human history. a faint sensation as if a distant memory. We struggle to gain any glimpse of the root of the great ladder upon which we stand.. In the last few millennia we have made the most astonishing and unexpected discoveries. We can be incredibly proud of this accomplishment. or ever was.EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION. Our contemplations of the Cosmos stir us. This is a time of great danger. with its focus on objectivity and experimentation. military. wisdom. He to whom this emotion is a stranger. This knowledge. There’s a tingling in the spine." a unifying principle from which all else follows. from faltering beginnings in the mists of prehistory." – Carl Sagan "The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. in which we float like moat of dust in the morning sky. who can no longer wonder. science attempts to come up with a "theory of everything. and we shall discuss it later. the Earth. and individual. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity. our species is young and curious and brave. industry. It is the sower of all true science. But to a scientist this is a fundamental discovery: when considered as a single space-time unit. BUT NOT ALTERED
. then it is a phenomenon that should be looked at over time. But in using our evolved talents of thought. the awesome forces of nature. If we think of science as a process by which we gain knowledge and understanding of things. we have struggled with all our imperfections to a pinnacle of knowledge. but infinitely growing in time. As with myths. WE GROW MORE DANGEROUS YET WISER EACH DAY. I believe our future depends powerfully on how well we understand this Cosmos. It appears that the gravitation of matter is not the fundamental arbiter of the Cosmos after all. To know that which is impenetrable to us really exists.

we can leave a voicemail message. Most of us can’t conceive of life without these things and yet. rocks. Chemistry is the study of how the energy and matter of physics have joined with themselves to form more complex structures. we turn on the lights. and if they are not there. Philosophy and neurosciences are the studies of why and how the conscious biology within us thinks the thoughts we do. The question of which is more remarkable. For as long as man has inhabited the earth. and soil. or the fountain of creation. none of them existed. the disciplines of science give us a window into time. revolutions to boggle the imagination. and we take them for granted. and even in full view of the majestic history of science that has illuminated their underlying phenomena. When it is dark. When we are hungry. is that not on a relative basis as awesome as space exploration or the routine transplant of vital organs? If you think of man starting out with his survival instinct and building on his experience. Physics is the study of how the Cosmos behaves in its simplest forms energy and matter. stars. comets. such as molecules. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Yet there was a time when the only means of communicating what man learned was by passing it on verbally to the next generation. the evidence of revolutions more wondrous than any seen this century. moons. Why? Because it was always there. and asteriods. and down again through our microscopes. the advances we make at the close of this millennium or those that were made in earliest recorded history. Some things never change. our TV and our computer. Geology is the study of how the chemistry and astrophysics of planets has formed into mountains. Ecology is the study of how geology has formed into systems hospitable for life. we continue to advance our understanding of the astounding spacetime machines we call human beings. Through this very same science of the universe. The news of the world is delivered to our door. oceans. with an ever clearer picture of how nature herself has evolved into the spacetime machine we call the universe. Today we continue to look at the heavens for the same reason. it is clear that we are the product of a brilliant accumulation of what came before us. Together.The progression of orders of space through the function of time is studied by the disciplines of science. for most of our history. planets. Because he could learn more about himself and the world in which he lived. he has looked to the heavens.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. since there was no other form of communication. Cosmology is the study of the origin of spacetime. As we now look up again through our telescopes. These are stunning technological powers.000 or more years ago figuring out how to harness fire or devise the wheel for transportation. Yet as wondrous as they are. If we want to talk to someone. Or do they? We take for granted the most mundane things in our lives. we heat food in the microwave oven. we see the fingerprints of the gods. is a subject which can be debated passionately on either side. Because he could learn how to get along in that world. He couldn’t even write it down. Astronomy and astrophysics are the studies of how the processes of physics and chemistry have formed galaxies. If you think of prehistoric man 10. we pick up the telephone. they pale in comparison to the wonders that await us at the turn of the millennium. Biology is the study of the systems of ecology that have evolved into organisms such as you and I.

certainly far older than the Bible seemed to allow. all things. Such evidence came from two quarters. when naturalists.The Leading Edge of Biology "Life is understood backwards. from the smallest bacteria through the largest beast and the most knowledgeable human know what they need to know to survive. Natural selection seems as well equipped a phrase to describe all truth -. Algal species. particularly so in view of the seeming improbability of the event. What emerged from these facts was the notion that life and the Earth itself had evolved. Biological science thus supported believers against skeptics of religion. as to describe the birth and death of life defined by biology alone. The problem was that if God had established species in the beginning. Surprisingly. but must be lived forwards. BUT NOT ALTERED
. life established itself on Earth just a few hundred million years after the planet's formation -. first the fossil record.Soren Kierkegaard The single greatest power which science has developed is the power to observe. though perhaps initiated by God. detailed zoological and botanical knowledge about how species manifested characteristics that ideally suited them to their peculiar environment and to each other. for example. the evolution of species could be studied as a science rather than as an adjunct to theology. What if this same principle in a more general electromagnetic form did in fact apply to all mass? Principles of evolution pervade all that we seem to observe. displaying equally amazing creativity. Earth itself when life first appeared was such a hostile environment: hot. and indeed in the evolution of life itself. which is toxic to most present life forms. What the eighteenth century could add to traditional belief was new. The romance of biological science and religion was short-lived. first began to ask such questions.an unimaginably long time by human standards. It was into the debate about the scientific mechanism of evolution that Charles Darwin burst like a supernova in 1859. who began to appear in increasing numbers as the century waned. Evolution per se did not necessarily rule out a role for a God. and even theories themselves. stars. processes which. worlds. There appears to be almost no locale too remote or too inhospitable for life in some form to take a hold. and surrounded by an atmosphere lacking in oxygen but abundant in carbon dioxide. religions. were self-sustaining. has expanded into and adapted to every nook and cranny on the planet. volcanic. Since then. therefore. which was beginning to uncover evidence that the Earth was far older than anyone had imagined. How. it had been held by many different cultures since prehistoric times. God." -. acidic waters around deep sea vents. how could they appear and disappear on their own? The other source of disquieting discovery was the new science of geology.the birth and death of galaxies. in view of less-than-ideal initial conditions. and how has it been able to develop with such diversity? In the eighteenth century. With observation. The hand-in-glove fit of a species to its habitat seemed to bespeak design. in spite of what would appear to be almost impossible odds. thrive inside the frozen rocks of Antarctica and in the superheated. civilizations. in living beings. for soon evidence began to appear that seemed to call into question the assumption that the Bible was a reliable guide to the study of life's beginnings. some five to 50 billion distinct types of life forms – species – have existed. but it allowed for the possibility that independent processes may have been at work. Such a belief was of course not new to the eighteenth century.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.life in astonishing diversity. Biologists speculate that since biological life began on Earth a few billion years ago. Two fundamental questions immediately suggest themselves. the answer seemed obvious: God had created the species. life. which therefore implied a designer. Therein may lie a clue to motivate us to reconsider physics in terms more familiar to biologists. As an independent force of nature. most of them good Christians. however. A special role for observation is found all across nature: in the foundation of creation known as quantum mechanics. but a relatively brief period in cosmological terms. The Earth veritably swarms with life -. could life of any kind come into being. Quarries began to yield fossilized remains of some species that clearly had long since died off and of others that had appeared suddenly in the fossil record.

I inherit from my father a mutation that makes me less likely than my neighbor to contract skin cancer. It's cumulative self-organization. Such an event would almost certainly not occur within the lifespan of the universe. each with a host of intricate subsystems such as eyes and brains. Those of my children that inherit this trait will in turn be more likely to survive than other children who lack the trait. evolution is directed by itself. however small. If the monkey used a stripped-down keyboard of 27 characters (26 letters of the alphabet plus the space bar). In evolution through natural selection. then how do complex organisms emerge? How. but he correctly perceived that random variation is the only apparent way for new genetic traits to enter what is otherwise a closed system. In other words. new features are introduced into the genetic pool. it appears downright improbable. resistance to skin cancer could become a differentiating trait of an entire population as against other populations. an eye. all the monkey has to do in Dawkins's simplified version is to generate the single sentence from Hamlet. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Through mutation. Indeed. the process itself is not random. absent external genetic engineering. if it's hard to imagine how even one such organ could evolve through random combinations. natural selection operates to no particular end. is that.000 trillion trillion trillion. will likely be lost in the next generation. natural selection amplifies the effect of random mutation and. If. Darwin did not understand how genetics works. Instead of having to come up with the works of Shakespeare. Over time. but Darwin couldn't even have conceived of such a possibility 150 years ago. then chances are that I'll live longer and be more likely to have children and pass on this beneficial trait to them. Life responds to the diversity of physical environments by spawning diversity. In point of fact. and if. If I live in a sunny environment. nature improves upon itself with each generation.What is new about Darwin's explanation of the development of species is not that this happens by evolution. That's one in a 100. Other changes will make a difference. natural selection. for the odds of developing an eye in one million steps are the same as those of doing it in a single step. for whom sun and skin cancer are not problems. though simple. poses a variant of the famous example of the monkey that randomly types away at a keyboard and manages to recreate the works of Shakespeare. one of Darwin's cleverest modern proponents. which contains just 28 characters. Time therefore becomes largely irrelevant. for example. but it is also not random. Darwin's explanation of evolution. Richard Dawkins. According to Darwin. "Methinks it is like a weasel". If mutation is random. It is not directed per se. In a random process where there is no link between what happens in one generation and the next. the probability of randomly generating the sentence is (1/27)28. for good or ill. To illustrate the point. this trait may prove to be a factor in the differential selection of my offspring for survival. and this is where Darwin's second and most important factor. even if the process were carried out on a computer capable of executing millions of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. only a handful of fundamental forces are needed to explain the evolution of life. could come into being? The answer. and who therefore lack any genetic inheritance to resist the disease. The cumulative effect is radically different. whatever success evolution achieves in one generation toward the development of. as Darwin asserted. then how much more unlikely is it that millions of complex life forms. Like most great scientific insights. comes into play. is not intuitively obvious. in response to pressures arising from the environment. together with inheritance. could something as intricate as the human eye or brain be formed by a random process? And. Thus. We now know that genetic mutation can also occur through biotechnology. and the seeming paradox of Darwinian evolution. for example. and more and more of my offspring will be represented in the total population. provides a means by which the amplified effect can propagate through a population. however. or 10e41. although it involves an inconceivable number of random events. One of these is mutation. but that it happens through natural selection. Certain types of variation will have no appreciable affect on an individual life form's odds of survival. say.

the program was able to generate the target phrase in as little as 41 generations (a few seconds of computer time). these questions have been asked and answered before? Profound questions. This is the instruction manual used by the Cosmos to construct and operate you. is inherently less improbable than one might at first have supposed. a species of animal has learned how to control and shape evolution using technology. and see a human with appearance and traits exactly like yourself? Shall we allow homo sapiens to make these decisions for other animals as well? Shall we one day create new forms of animal. Depending on the initial set of random characters chosen. because of the powerful processes of cumulative selection. BUT NOT ALTERED
. happens to have the property of being good at making copies of itself. since evolution is not directed at producing any particular result. and so on. then why not eye color? Prevent baldness? Determine height? Skin and muscle tone? Sexual orientation? Athletic performance? Intellectual traits? Is cloning ethical? If not.. But how? What should we do when an incurable disease is found in genetic testing of a fetus? Shall we terminate after pregnancy? Shall we sterilize children carrying lethal genetic defects? Shall we culture new body organs from stem-cell tissue? Shall we enable parents to select their child's sex? If so. as Dawkins notes. but far less than would be required by simple random mutation. Dawkins summarizes as follows: ". We all seem to agree that we will use it to cure disease. anywhere in the universe. and for the first time in the known history of Earth. then automatically more and more copies of that entity will obviously come into existence. why do some animals reproduce that way? Would we allow parents to clone a child who has passed away in a car accident? Could you one day clone your own DNA into a new embryo. Now. The computer then selects from each generation's progeny the one that is closest to the target phrase.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. But now let's change the rules. we will have a similar map for any other life form on this world. What we've learned from the application of biotechnology in the past 10 years has fundamentally reshaped our comprehension of the power of biological knowledge itself. Nonetheless. We are now on the verge of possessing a complete genetic map of the homo sapiens animal. then. We'll let the monkey type 28 characters at a time. At our choice. but with certain chance of random error or mutation in the copying.. Dawkins designed a Macintosh computer program to do just that. upon your death? What would it be like to see a home video of your great grandfather. How rare or common is such an event in the history books of a galaxy? We will soon be faced with the exceptionally high-stakes task of determining how knowledge of the human genome should be used. and at the turn of the second millennium since Christ into the third. It is all utterly simple and automatic. In evolutionary terms. this test is not an altogether proper analogue. It is so predictable as to be almost inevitable. single-step operations can be achieved through selection. while still requiring many generations to yield results. Results that are highly improbable as a sequence of unconnected. single-step operations and cumulative selection.tries per second. humanity will see its own temporal blueprint for the very first time. later versions tend to be 'better' at making copies of themselves than earlier versions. as we have already created new forms of plants? Isn't it virtually certain that. Not only that but. The program starts with a random phrase of 28 letters and duplicates it repeatedly." Evolution is the process of life. It took 15 billion years to make. the time scale may still be on the order of thousands or millions of years. Evolution. The selected phrase becomes the basis for the next generation. and we'll keep any matches from one turn or "generation" to the next.if any entity. somewhere in this galaxy. the example does illustrate the radical difference between random. since they automatically form lineages and are occasionally miscopied.

Instead of breaking down an image or sound into tiny pieces for serial processing.The Leading Edge of Computing In the January 1999 issue of Discover magazine. shall we one day marry biology and computing in some way. A new type of computer. Traditional binary digital logic is notoriously poor at pattern recognition. coordinating a floor-byfloor search. and is thus largely unusable. Taking this speculation yet a further step forward. an ordinary computer has to make its way more or less serially through long strings of 1's and 0's until it arrives at an answer. to say the least. those with inside knowledge of the UFO phenomenon quite uniformly assert that the technologies employed with these craft respond directly to conscious thought. BUT NOT ALTERED
. too. That sort of extra coordinating and communicating. by breaking up the task and running the components in parallel on several processors. However. It's particularly appealing because it sketches a possible solution to a long-standing challenge that has confounded even the faster modern computers: pattern recognition. appears to hold dramatic promise for complete revolution in information technology. it has been suggested by many researchers that quantum computing may ultimately lead to the ability to create technology that is conscious! Will the concept depicted in Star Wars of conscious droids not ultimately turn out to be fictional after all? Although we are getting ahead of ourselves to mention it here. a quantum computer might one day be able to approach the problem of pattern recognition from a fundamentally new angle. opening doors one at a time to find the briefcase. While even a young child can instantly recognize her mother's face. exacts a huge toll in overhead. called a quantum computer. all the versions of yourself could simultanteously peek in all the offices. perhaps to serve our needs? Might other advanced civilizations elswhere in our galaxy have already accomplished this?
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. In the same way that you'd have to walk through the building. and then getting them all back together again to compare results. Of course. David Freedman presents a stunning portrait of a new field of computer science just now emerging into view. it might be able to conduct an overall "macro" comparison of one pattern with another in a manner more similar to that within our own brains. however. you could speed up the briefcase hunt by organizing a team.and then – best of all – every copy of yourself would disappear except for the one that found the briefcase? That's an example of how a quantum computer could work." A stunning concept. Today's "speech recognition" in some new computers is exceedingly primitive and slow. "What's the big deal about quantum computing? Imagine you were in a large office building and you had to retrieve a briefcase left on a desk picked at random in one of hundreds of offices. this simple kind of task is falteringly primitive even in the most advanced computers. But what if instead of having to search yourself or put together and manage a team. More speculatively. you could instantly create as many copies of yourself as there were rooms in the building. Ordinary computers can do this sort of thing.

that established the quantum vacuum. however. otherwise his postulated atoms would not have room to move around. superstring theory. so-called empty space. this time under the new label spacetime metric. In relativity theory we hear of the spacetime metric. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Ten years later. with its curving warp and woof. All attempts to measure the properties of this ether. these modern scientific disciplines similarly posit an underlying energetic matrix. or to measure the Earth’s velocity through the ether (the famous Michelson-Morley experiment). Einstein’s own development of the theory of general relativity." -. filled with substance. Maxwell postulated the existence of a luminiferous ether. and thus the concept of the ether seemed superfluous. Aristotle countered that what appeared to be empty space was in fact a plenum. quantum theory.named for physicist Werner Heisenberg who stressed its importance. bubbling cauldron than a serene silence. brought back the idea of a richly endowed plenum. however. including light. When physicists calculated the energy density of the quantum foam. even though their content may be accessible only to the specialist . called by many names in many disciplines. It would appear that. a medium that carried electromagnetic waves. As before. Maxwell’s ether was banished in favor of the concept that empty space constitutes a true void. much as a lake carries water waves across its surface (Whittaker. And its fluctuations led to a statistical uncertainty in all measurement that is so fundamental to quantum processes as to be raised to the status of a Principle Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle . at one time or another. like foam tossed at the base of a waterfall. 1965). In Western traditions the genesis of the scientific concept of an energetic void underlying all manifestation can be traced back to at least the time of the Greek philosophers. For example. Echoing pre-scientific roots in the concept of an all-pervasive energetic flow. the vacuum fluctuations or zero-point energy. Democritus argued that empty space was truly a void. As mentioned previously. full of potential. the void or vacuum out of which springs all manifestation. At first it was thought that perhaps some fundamental aspect of the theory used to perform the calculation was in error.relativity theory. so-called because of its unceasing activity even at a temperature of absolute zero. like fish discovering the ocean. and indeed this is where modern scientific theory has led us. it was soon discovered that the energy densities so calculated had to be taken seriously for certain experimental observations to be explained. 1960). Einstein’s development of the theory of special relativity in 1905 did not require reference to such an underlying substrate. such terms conjure up images of a pregnant void.The Leading Edge of Physics "The whole of science consists of data that. and fell out of favor. only to vanish back into the restless void. as a very active place. with electromagnetic and other fields continuously fluctuating on a microscopic scale. met with failure. in quantum theory. Thus empty space began to look more like a frothy. however. they were amazed to find that even the most conservative estimates placed its value at greater than nuclear energy densities (Feynman and Hibbs. an observed discrepancy (shift) between the predicted and observed frequency of emission from excited hydrogen gas could only be explained if one took into account the "jittering" of the electron’s orbit around the nucleus
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. However. we have finally discerned the ocean of energy in which we move and have our being.Brendan O'Regan The search for a unifying principle in physics has led to the development of theories whose names are becoming household words. and with particles fleeting into momentary existence. Furthermore. were inexplicable. with its emerging picture of curved space and distorted geometry. It was the advent of modern quantum theory. for did not heat and light travel from place to place as if carried by some kind of medium? The debate ricocheted back and forth through the centuries until its essence was distilled by the 19thcentury British physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

Given the apparent energy density of the vacuum fluctuation fields.. however.which is still controversial in the physics community as to probable success.the time before spontaneous emission occurs can be lengthened considerably. 1993).. This force."(Haroche and Raimond. Cook and Goggin. 1997). totally unexpected. Lee (1988) introduced the concept of vacuum engineering with the words "The experimental method to alter the properties of the vacuum may be called vacuum engineering. derives from partial shielding of the interior region of the plates from the background fluctuations. because there are no vacuum fluctuations to stimulate its emission. much as the fallover of the poised pencil is due to such disturbances as microscopic acoustic vibrations.and likewise the quantum fluctuation energy in those modes .D. Casimir of the Philips Laboratories in the Netherlands predicted an entirely new effect based on the fluctuations of the vacuum electromagnetic field . emitting its energy in the process . "The vacuum is fast emerging as the central structure of modern physics" (Saunders and Brown. now known for its discoverer as the Casimir force. It is only a matter of time and engineering before manipulation of atomic emission times by this process will find useful application. This search includes a national commitment of several billion dollars to develop high-energy ("hot") fusion .do not stay excited for very long.for example. much as a metal building shields incoming radio waves and thus interferes with radio reception. which can be traced to radiation from the fluctuating quantum motion of charged particles distributed throughout the universe (Puthoff. At this point. Jr. Complementing this are the so-called renewable energy resources. "spontaneous emission" is not so spontaneous after all. as if to emphasize the concept that this has meaning not only for the academic pursuit of fine points in the development of physical theory.an attractive force between closely spaced metal plates. In a similar fashion the cavity can be designed to enhance spontaneous emission and thereby speed up the process. by factors of ten. 1989. In 1948.. H. And. and won for its researcher Willis Lamb.. such as solar and wind energy alternatives that have been under development for many years. as far as physical effects were concerned it appeared to be of significance only for such esoteric concerns as the calculation of small corrections with regard to the properties of fundamental particles. but also potentially for application. for example. If indeed we are able to alter the vacuum. This form of vacuum engineering has led to the development of a whole new field of research called cavity quantum electrodynamics. electrically-excited gas atoms in a neon tube . 1988)." One of the first breakthroughs in application of the concept of vacuum engineering involved the phenomenon that excited atoms .due to the underlying quantum field fluctuations. This process is called "spontaneous emission. Therefore. "An excited atom that would ordinarily emit a low-frequency photon cannot do so. then we may encounter some new phenomena. This partial shielding of the external electromagnetic fluctuations results in unbalanced forces that push the plates together (Milonni. BUT NOT ALTERED
. or for atomic processes. 1997).in the case of the neon tube. Step by step the concept of a rich and active vacuum began moving from the periphery of physics toward center stage. a scientific event considered of sufficient importance as to be given prominent coverage in the New York Times (Browne. spontaneous emission is triggered by quantum fluctuation fields. although the vacuum fluctuation energy concept had been demonstrated. if excited atoms are passed through speciallyconstructed Casimir-like cavities in which the resonant field modes are suppressed .. Like a pencil poised on its point. The Casimir force has recently been measured with high accuracy at the University of Washington (Lamoreaux." As it turns out.to reproduce the sun on a small scale . an excited atom hovers in an excited state for a brief moment and then falls to a ground state. As stated on the dust cover of a recent collection of essays on the vacuum by well-known physicists (including Einstein). G. Rather. Overunity Energy? A continuing search for energy alternatives to fossil and nuclear fuels has intensified over the past few years.. 1991). emitting light.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. B. Nobel Laureate T. As stated in a review article in Scientific American.. a shared Nobel Prize in physics. This convergence of theory and experiment is known as the Lamb shift.

robust pursuit of the vacuum energy option is essential. CA. Haisch and Cole. In yet another example.. researchers A. As utopian as the possibility of tapping vacuum fluctuation energy might seem. Attempts to harness the Casimir and related effects for vacuum energy conversion are ongoing at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin (Austin. Fortunately. One approach utilizes pinch effects in non-neutral plasmas (Puthoff. potentially useful." In this paper he presents calculations to support the concept that the anomalously high energies associated with certain supernova explosions or with quasars might constitute examples of the conversion of vacuum energy into other forms. In either case. and the ultimate source of this energy appears to be the zero-point radiation of the vacuum continuum" (Shoulders. vacuum energy is converted to another. however. Can the energy be "mined" for practical use? If so.1991). as metal plates are pushed together by vacuum fluctuation forces. In brief. follow-up proof that such a process violates neither energy nor thermodynamic constraints can be found in a paper with the title "Extracting energy and heat from the vacuum" (D. the plasma equivalent of Forward’s electromechanical charged-plate collapse. Cole and H. Therefore... the question naturally comes to mind as to whether this reservoir of energy can be tapped. A patent issued on this process contains the descriptive phrase ". however. it would constitute a virtually ubiquitous energy supply. Though of insignificant magnitude in the simple configurations described. while at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu. 1990). Given global energy concerns. or. If verified. unlike its nuclear predecessor. Forward’s approach exploited the Casimir effect described in detail earlier. researcher R. Details of the model would also appear to account for other observed phenomena." Furthermore. 1995). 1993). is the matter of engineering and demonstration as to whether vacuum energy conversion can be developed to the point that it constitutes a significant energy resource. Looking to whether Nature herself may have already taken advantage of energetic vacuum effects. one obtains heat when they collide. all indications to date are that. That such a concept has attracted interest in the broader engineering community is reflected by an Air Force request for proposals for the Fiscal Year 1986 Defense SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. what has been shown is that the basic concept of the conversion of vacuum energy to other potentially useful forms is a legitimate and viable physics principle. vacuum fluctuation energy release is environmentally benign. BUT NOT ALTERED
. What remains. Forward (1984). a veritable "Holy Grail" energy source. Puthoff. "Extracting electrical energy from the vacuum by cohesion of charged foliated conductors. demonstrated proof-of-principle in a paper. paralleling earlier demonstrations of the release of small amounts of energy from early experiments in nuclear fission. 1991). B. disregard of any possible energy solution is a luxury that we can ill afford. physicist I. Cole of IBM proposed that the vast reaches of outer space constitute an ideal environment for energetic vacuum effects to accelerate nuclei and thereby provide a mechanism for "powering up" cosmic rays (Rueda. Haisch of Lockheed-Martin and D. Sokolov (1996) of Toronto University suggested just this in a paper entitled "The Casimir effect as a possible source of cosmic energy. proof-of-principle has nonetheless been demonstrated. a corollary is that appropriate perturbation of this equilibrium state would result in a release of energy. such as the formation of cosmic voids. 1996). if electrically charged. Rueda of California State University at Long Beach. form. an approach described in a recent patent proposes the use of finely-tuned dielectric antennas to convert energetic high-frequency components of the vacuum-fluctuation spectrum into a more useful lower-frequency form (Mead and Nachamkin. Texas) and elsewhere. Though remaining to be developed. as with solar and thermonuclear energy. Finally. Yu.. Yet another technique under investigation is based on an argument suggested by Boyer (1975) and elaborated by Puthoff (1987) that (stable) atomic ground states are states of dynamic equilibrium in which radiation due to ground state motion is compensated by absorption from vacuum fluctuations.energy is provided. a buildup of electrical field energy as they approach.

By accelerated we mean. This key feature. What is this force that knocks one down. Since the argument can be made (Puthoff. for example. as with gravity. But what of the fundamental forces of gravity and inertia? We have phenomenological theories that describe their effects (Newton’s Laws and their relativistic generalizations). of course. and references therein). Under entry *AF86-77. has become known as Mach’s Principle. If further research continues to support the vacuum-fluctuation genesis of gravity and inertia .the fixed stars in the train example one can say that the punch was delivered by the vacuum fluctuations acting as proxy for the fixed stars through which one attempted to accelerate. accelerated relative to the fixed stars.Program. 1989." Gravity and Inertia . have the same value that is associated with the gravitational attraction between bodies? Indeed. but what of their origins? The suggestion that these phenomena might themselves be traceable to roots in the underlying fluctuations of the vacuum was first put forward in a short paper published by the well-known Russian physicist Andrei Sakharov (known also for his human rights activism). 1997. Rueda and Puthoff.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. new non-conventional propulsion concepts are solicited. The specific areas in which AFRPL is interested include.. Sakharov came to the conclusion that general relativistic phenomena could be understood as induced effects brought about by changes in the quantum fluctuation energy of the vacuum due to the presence of matter (Sakharov 1968)..." one could provocatively say that it was the "stars" that delivered the punch. As it strains against the twin forces of gravity and inertia. Since in this example the sudden disquieting imbalance results from acceleration "relative to the fixed stars. Given an apparent deep connection between gravity and the quantum fluctuations of the vacuum. In a sentence. if one is determined by vacuum fluctuations. Although still in its exploratory stage.then we are led to a remarkable implication: Given experimental evidence that vacuum fluctuations can be altered by technological means (for example. This issue was recently addressed in a paper entitled "Inertia as a zero-point field Lorentz force." in which it was argued that the resolution of the question of inertia and its connection to Mach’s Principle. we can only marvel at the progress we have made in our attempt to throw off the shackles that bind mankind to earth. Thus. Why? It is an empirical fact that the gravitational and inertial masses have the same value. once again. and one is thrown to the floor. Searching to derive Einstein’s equations for general relativity from a more fundamental set of assumptions. although a uniformly moving body does not experience a drag force from the vacuum fluctuations. a similar connection must exist between these self-same vacuum fluctuations and inertia. Topic: NonConventional Propulsion Concepts* we find the statement: "Bold. then. gravitational and inertial masses can also be altered. (6) Esoteric energy sources for propulsion including the zero point quantum dynamic energy of vacuum space. the mechanism by which the stars might do this deed has eluded convincing explication.. Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (AFRPL). even though the underlying phenomena are quite distinct. 1989) that the local vacuum-fluctuation frame of reference is due to the quantum fluctuations of distant matter . could be traced to the vacuum fluctuations (Haisch. in principle. Why. BUT NOT ALTERED
. by the techniques of cavity quantum electrodynamics cited earlier). emphasized by the Austrian philosopher of science Ernst Mach. 1998) . seemingly coming out of nowhere? This phenomenon is an inbuilt feature of the universe that has perplexed generations of physicists from Newton to Einstein. an accelerated body meets a resistance proportional to the acceleration. the underlying quantum fluctuation reference frame is called into play. so must the other.and it appears that this is likely to be the case (Haisch.. 1993. Rueda and Puthoff 1994). in this case to be restructured in its role as the very fabric of spacetime itself. this hypothesis has led to a rich and ongoing literature on quantum-fluctuation-induced gravity. even if far from any gravitational field. A train lurches with a sudden jolt..Last Steps to the Frontier of Space The launch of a mighty rocket is truly an awe-inspiring sight. should a measure of the resistance of a body to being accelerated. We have all experienced inertia. a literature that continues to yield insight into the role played by vacuum fluctuations (Puthoff. Nonetheless.

we are reminded of Arthur C. and *The warp drive: Hyper-fast travel within general relativity*. in theory if not yet in practice. hoping for some "magic" solution that will launch our spacefarers first to the planets and then to the stars. With titles like *Wormholes in spacetime and their use for interstellar travel*. who published it under the title Mass Modification Experiment Definition Study. This office is charged with initiating research relevant to the development of 21st century space propulsion. It was possible to find an experiment that might be able to prove or disprove that the inertial mass of a body can be altered by making changes in the vacuum surrounding the body. Robert Forward. With regard to the "trick" of manipulating the parameters of the vacuum to alter the velocity of light to advantage with regard to space travel. Similarly.. for example. that it might be possible to alter mass? In fact just this possibility was the basis of an investigation by the Advanced Concepts Office of the Propulsion Directorate of the Phillips Laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base in California.. with the corollary that it would take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it to this speed. however. One of the more magical possibilities that looms on the scientific horizon is the portent of metric engineering. With a view to easing the energy burden of future spaceships. and with the field of cavity quantum electrodynamics giving us demonstration that such fields can be structured by technological means. in
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. As we peer with longing into the heavens from the depth of our gravity well." With regard to action items. one trick being to increase the local velocity of light by manipulating the parameters of the vacuum. such as water or steel. as it were.a designer vacuum.. and it is well understood that a fundamental understanding of gravity and inertia could well contribute new concepts in this area. But who is to say what the 21stcentury will bring? To elaborate the metric engineering perspective.. This is because the velocity of wave propagation in a substance depends upon the characteristics or parameters of that substance. This report summarizes an attempt to find an experiment that would test the Haisch. The velocity of light in glass. it is useful to begin with an analogy. This restriction has its origin in the special theory of relativity. Some even believe the vacuum may be harnessed to provide a limitless supply of energy. BUT NOT ALTERED
. wherein equations show (and experiments confirm) that the mass of a body increases catastrophically as its speed approaches the velocity of light.Does anyone take such a concept seriously. With gravity and inertia traceable to the underlying vacuum fluctuation fields. differs from that in air. Forward (1996) submitted his report to the Air Force. we begin with the oft-quoted velocity-of-light limitation. Many researchers see the vacuum as a central ingredient of 21st-Century physics. a respected authority in the area of gravitation theory and measurement. the possibility of tricks and shortcuts comes to the rescue. is only about two-thirds that in air. Clarke’s phrase that highly advanced technology is essentially indistinguishable from magic. Rueda and Puthoff (HRP) conjecture that the mass and inertia of a body are induced effects brought about by changes in the quantum-fluctuation energy of the vacuum.. the possibility of engineering the metric for space travel has moved from the pages of science fiction to peer-reviewed physics journals. the Forward Report in fact recommended a ranked list of not one but four experiments to be carried out to investigate the vacuum-fluctuation inertia concept and its broad implications. accepted a Phillips Laboratory assignment to review the massalteration concept. In the general theory of relativity. Specifically. These implications are being pursued in laboratories around the globe. the potential with regard to exotic approaches can be said to have moved a little closer.. the velocity of light in a material depends on the parameters of the medium through which it propagates. It can easily be demonstrated that the velocity of sound in various substances. The Abstract reads in part: ". restructuring the vacuum to order . After a one-year study investigating the present status of vacuum fluctuation research.

general relativity permits consideration of altered spacetime metrics (vacuum characteristics) as presented here where such a possibility is not a priori ruled out. referenced above. Although this clearly could not be the case in the "flat space" of special relativity. In this approach the conventional curved-space formalism of general relativity finds expression in terms of easilyunderstood. not unlike that of a light ray passing through a lens. Taking on the challenge of determining whether Warp Drive a là Star Trek was a scientific possibility. travel at speeds greater than the conventional velocity of light within that region would be possible. a distant observer would note that the velocity of light is reduced from its usual value by an amount proportional to the gravitational potential. D. Indeed.engineering terms the velocity of light in a medium is given by an expression c = 1/(me)1/2. Thus. general relativity theorist Miguel Alcubierre set himself the task of determining whether faster-than-light travel was possible within the constraints of standard theory. In essence. say c’ = 10c. Polarizability of the vacuum is similar to the polarizability of more familiar substances such as solids. a result first predicted by Einstein (1911). For the case of light propagation near a massive body like the sun. respectively. not the great-greatgreat grandchildren). BUT NOT ALTERED
. the velocity of light is increased due to the reduction of vacuum fluctuation energy between the plates (Scharnhorst. for example. 1996. lunch on Tau Ceti. proposal to take advantage of just this possibility is the so-called "Alcubierre Warp Drive" (Alcubierre. The solution involved the creation of a local distortion of spacetime such that spacetime itself is expanded behind the spaceship. and that the occupants of the spaceship were not to be flattened against the bulkhead by unconscionable accelerations. given by Nobel Laureate T. often used in comparative studies of gravitational theories. The Alcubierre Warp Drive and other marvels that can be envisioned as products of metric engineering
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. has been formalized in the scientific literature (Lightman and Lee. liquids or gases. 1990). 1994). the vacuum itself has properties characteristic of physical media. engineering-like concepts. 1973) and is especially useful with regard to a metric engineering perspective (Puthoff. Such effects can be conveniently modeled in terms of a variable vacuum polarizability. and home for dinner with the wife and children. where m. Now if the vacuum polarizability were to be subject to manipulation by technological means such that within a localized region the value c could be made to assume a new value. The slowing and bending of a light ray near a massive body. for example. and references therein). This approach. A solution meeting all of the above criteria was found and published in a peer-reviewed journal. These are simply parameters that indicate how polarizable (responsive) the medium is to magnetic and electric fields. within the context of general relativity and vacuum-energy physics the velocity of light in a vacuum is not as fixed as widely believed. Alcubierre’s further self-imposed constraints on an acceptable solution included the requirements that no net time distortion should occur (breakfast on earth. Lee (1994) in honor of the 150th birthday of one of physics’ patriarchs Ludwig Boltzmann. but nonetheless scientifically-grounded. was entitled Vacuum as a Physical Medium. and yields a hypersurfer-like motion faster than the speed of light as seen by observers outside the perturbed region (though without violating an elevated local velocity-of-light constraint within the region). without violating a local velocity-of-light constraint. but is context-dependent (Wesson 1992). on the outgoing leg of the journey the spaceship is pushed away from the earth and pulled toward its distant destination by the engineered local expansion of spacetime itself. For the case of light propagation between closely-spaced Casimir plates. the magnetic permeability and dielectric permittivity of the medium. What might be surprising to the nonspecialist. it’s only that a new constraint would apply within the localized region based on the local elevated velocity of light. can be seen as deriving from spatial variation of the polarizability (or refractive index) of the vacuum. a lecture. A recent speculative. how much magnetic or electric flux will result. then. contracted ahead of it.e are parameters called.

living and nonliving. Out of this recognition one can discern a metaphysics in which man and Cosmos are seen as inextricably intertwined.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. in keeping with the cliché "a journey of 1000 miles begins with the first steps. one common theme emerged again and again . unfortunately. With only a decade or so of focused development. Given that Casimir and related effects indicate the possibility of tapping the enormous residual energy in the vacuum fluctuations. Our survival as a species requires that we dare not shrink from this destiny. our reach for those unforeseen breakthroughs is imperative.this pre-scientific cultural concept of an underlying energy flow made manifest expresses recognition of unity in diversity. a oneness that stands behind all things. However. laboratories. Combining this observation with the newly-emerging concepts of the relationship of gravity. What is certain to emerge as the Cosmos becomes part of our heritage is an ever-increasing recognition that we are. And the one companion from which we will never be separated on our long journey is the underlying ocean of energy on which we travel and from which springs all manifestation. many theoretical questions remain unanswered. for both theoretical and practical reasons. 1998).have yet to leave our drawing boards. all phenomena. Nonetheless. chi. and the demonstration in cavity quantum electrodynamics that the vacuum fluctuations can be manipulated to produce technological effects such as the inhibition or enhancement of spontaneous emission of excited states in quantum systems. trod the same path? And perhaps found solutions? Humility would dictate that such may well be the case. the first steps along this path have already produced visible results. in ecological balance with the Cosmos as a whole.soul. Called by many names in many traditions . interconnected by a ubiquitous. The answer to the above question is: "In principle. all-pervasive cosmic flow of energy that undergirds. Indeed. inertia and warp drive as properties of a manipulable vacuum. and is manifest in. yes" (Puthoff.the recognition that all things. As cosmologies have developed and matured. each and every one." those first steps are now being taken in the universities. Those that have been tentatively answered would appear to require technological solutions beyond reach without unforeseen breakthroughs. such an interpenetrating field of energy may be the true medium of life and consciousness itself. Therefore we must question anew whether the vacuum can be engineered for spaceflight applications in the foreseeable future. immersed in an overall interpenetrating ground of being. Our future is the Cosmos of worlds uncounted. élan vital . and research institutes around the globe. it is clear that there is a long way to go. only to be replaced by yet others. And we must also ask whether in a universe of such magnificent proportions might not other species have asked the same questions. BUT NOT ALTERED
. constituted an interactive and interdependent tapestry of existence in which each thread was but part of a greater whole.

Not immoral. We have imagined. The upside of overunity energy is that vast numbers of wondrous advances can be made. Since its origin in a divorce from religion. services. history. What happens if energy becomes "free"? The economy will be restructured such that any process requiring energy alone will be reduced in value nearly to zero. The idea that such revolutions are largely behind us is laughable. and their resulting products. for free. the evidence for the greatest scientific revolutions of them all to date may be before our very eyes. Sea water can be converted to irrigation and drinking water. and to others to control our lives for us. pace. as it reduces the cost of rich communications nearly to zero. and engineered our way towards wondrous revolutions in technology not even thinkable by homo sapiens 100 years ago. A related technology will enable gravitational propulsion. With this new kind "propellantless" propulsion. it must face first a critical fact: the failure of science through the centuries to control the use of its own discoveries and inventions is a sign of the depth of its fundamental disconnection between emotion and fact. life. for free. The rapid progression of scientific advancement is today dangerous if not preceded by ethical belief systems with the power of religious morals. The new technologies science is approaching will have a stunningly large impact on civilization. Where can we find middle ground here? Is there a new intellectual place for both science and faith to cohabit? We now know for certain that natural evolution is a force of life more powerful than all forms of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Science has taught us how to distinguish between lie and truth. The more money you have. and the cost of innumerable manufactured products will drastically drop. civilization and science? First. Electricity and heat can be supplied within homes themselves. These are massive changes. Indeed. amoral. labor. And we will ask ourselves the meaning of a national border when individual space-time transportation devices emerge. Purely automated electronic services can be offered almost for free. BUT NOT ALTERED
. humanity. Yet science today laughs at the evidence that will come to represent its next renaissance. Indeed. We're seeing this effect in a smaller way with the rise of the Internet. more useful to all people of the world than just the super-rich. Why? Two reasons. the sound level of an automobile.Lessons For the Future
What can we learn from the first part of this book? What can we learn from these studies of the Cosmos. the size of a one-man plane. with essentially no fuel bill. in the form of resources. between meaning and truth. It might not be such a complex problem if it weren't for the fact that science now undergirds Western society as much as religion. we can learn to be both soberly concerned and thrilled beyond imagination about our future. This knowledge has given us tremendous powers to control our lives. and thus available to nearly everyone. The money sitting in your bank account right now is in reality a metric system for the one thing of value it represents: energy. at any speed we desire. modern science has deeply lacked a foundation in experience. we will be able to skip from place to place on Earth with the precision of a helicopter. communicated. The less money you have. That's a complicated and destabilizing transformation. and build order upon the latter. Through its neutrality. the more energy you can buy from others. When science does wake itself from its present slumber on these issues. the more you are forced to give your resources to others. In a sense this is an obvious product of its necessary opposition to an arthritic and over-interpreted orthodox religious moral paradigm. We will ultimately be able to dispense with the freeway system. and frame the consequences of its processes. Science is deeply amoral. science has opened our eyes to our nature. they will record the greatest single exclamation mark of an inflection point in the lifespan of homo sapiens to date. and science cannot match faith in terms of an expressed paradigm of ethics to guide behavior and to give meaning to experience. This disconnection is perhaps now its greatest liability. and they must be approached with great care. Today it lacks an ethical fabric of its own to bound.

We call these devices rituals. telescope. Some of us are given priesthood. and only in so doing carry their power. nature will lie to us. whereas devastation driven by instability will not. some of us learn to learn. For all the generations preceding the most recent one. we have learned that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. then survival of the fittest can only be a tactic used to win a battle. playing. The Cosmos behaves like a mirror to our minds. the future will murder us. Whatever battles we choose to wage in our "war" of evolution. What core principles can we learn from evolution? I believe we can learn several lessons. some of us learn to sport. We gather when a child is born. civilizations. it is balance and equilibrium we should worship and remember – the survival of diversity. These are the tools with which to survive. we have employed devices to perpetuate the emotions surrounding our most important truths. An intelligent person at the end of this century simply cannot and must not deny the truth of this. richest. Any force we send out. Some of us learn to hunt. Remember the quotes from Einstein and Sagan at the beginning of this chapter. the equation of Newtonian motion. with the most might and right will survive. Rituals are used throughout the activities of eating. If we indiscriminately destroy natural microbes. and understand how they manipulate the medium of the Cosmos. the fractured branch of evolution upon which we stand will be pruned from the tree of life. Emotion conveys the temporal significance of a truth. Some of us are baptised. and thrive across eternity. and most of us learn to love. most of us are loved. We learn the difference between truth and lie. Many biologists have termed this literally a "war of survival". or a decision and its consequence. The argument goes that only the strongest. We learn to speak. some of us learn to fight. If evolution is indeed a war. from the simplest body painting to the most sacred rites of passage. for it conveys meaning in experience. people. plants. or the survival of all. The direct implication is that the mystical concepts of truth and love simply must be actual and real fundamental principles of the Cosmos that will ultimately be understood in terms of an expanded concept of physics. we will lose. Some of us are swaddled. Some of us even learn to calculate. This is a scientific fact. Life has always used rituals. we will receive back. Humans have used rituals since our time began. It is thus not the survival of the fittest that we should worship.civilization. institutions. as mentioned above. and mating. for it is the one certain recipe for the ultimate loss of the war. the Golden Rule. most aggressive. and microbes. Some of us are sung to. As we grow into youth. Whether it is an eye for eye. nature will murder us. sleeping. all of us search for both collective and individual meaning. some of us learn to smoke. It is the concept of being in peace with all kinds of truths. They drip with emotion. Some of us are blessed. or history book. If we lie to nature. and peaceful life will create uncounted new tools. it is only a question of the scale of time within our microscope. When we reach adolescence. If we murder nature. The key to correct this grievous mistake is to understand that if there is war. Most learn to
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. And we must act on this truth. experiences. We cannot live by the power of lies or fear or mindless destruction. animals. Such an important lesson as this must be taught to our children from the first instant. Some of us learn to read. We will only survive in peace. Some of us learn to write. Some of us learn to sing. all of us are schooled. Some of us are circumcised. and they’re not ones that are often taught. We all name the child. We are thus advised to look to principles of evolution evident in history for the guideposts to our distant future. Throughout history. Is that power not real? Emotion is real. I believe you will one day see something akin to equations of emotion and thought. If we murder the future. BUT NOT ALTERED
. they will so destroy us. Without enough peaceful diversity to add fiber. and life throughout evolution is replete with examples. and technology combined. we must remember that ultimately the diversity of life will win. science. The first lesson regards the core principle of evolution most people know as "survival of the fittest". evolve.

separate and together at once. What rituals must we create to perpetuate the love for the things we want to become in a million years? What systems of mental and physical practice must we put in place. and these two states are two sides of one state called being. For in the history of the world. The one being is the student and the teacher." Without ritual conveying the emotions of our beliefs. We celebrate the important things in life. too. what are we? "Just interchangeable Nielson statistics? Are we plugged into everything.. connected to nothing? Should we attempt to explain to our children how it all fits together. and the repetition of a system of beliefs is fulfilled by the ritual. We celebrate the founding of our ideologies of all forms and kinds. in reality. We ritualize "success" and "failure" by the ultimate macroconstruction of ritual. We ritualize graduation. and celebrate the major milestones along the way. I ask a question to scientists: would you reevaluate your posture against the historicity of the greatest ritual traditions of our heritage – religion – if I showed you how to use vacuum energy to warp gravity upon convenience. I believe that we are both entirely interconnected and utterly unsecured. our culture. or.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. ground in faith to the ultimate power of a higher order to which we aspire. in perpetuating the passing of sacred truth from generation to generation and from people to people. in order to convey to our children’s children the vision we have for them? We must not ignore billions of years of evolution.hate. "Protect the spiritual ozone layer. despite its profound flaws. like unsecured objects in a space capsule?" Actually. And our society ritualizes events from its history. may be the perfect remembrance structure for humanity to use as a foundation upon which to evolve for millennia to come. few rituals have done as good a job as those of religion. We ritualize marriage. We ritualize reproduction. We ritualize age through the birthday. but I do propose that science reunite with spirituality. and the responsibility of choice is felt with the greatest power ever. as a new foundation for science. in the form of holidays. rituals are the poetry of life. As David Van Biema said. As both a student and a teacher of sorts through this book. Most of us choose most of our path through whatever future our culture allows. writing for the cover of Life in October 1991. The lesson to be learned from the first part of this book is that the kind of faith in truth and love promulgated by the rituals of religion. Consider ritual. And we ritualize death through mourning. appropriately shorn of their dogmatism. we are confronted with responsibility. Indeed. I believe that this is not the first time beings have asked and answered this question in this way. As we enter adulthood. are important to our future?
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. or assure them that it just floats weightlessly. We ritualize entertainment. would you listen to my hypothesis? Would you reconsider whether systems of belief in love and truth. which have taught us that repetition is a key to reproduction. Do I propose a return to orthodox concepts of religion? No. I believe there are greater reasons than just good sense to do this. enabling travel at effective speeds far greater than the speed of light? If I showed you the way an "angel" could come down from the "heavens" and teach.

However. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The precision of natural existence is so abundantly in evidence around us that it is hard to fathom how it could possibly be a construction of random forces with no intended design. as it has no answer to the question of what happened before the Big Bang. historians do not generally question the genuine intent of the priests and scribes of ancient times attempting to pass sacred knowledge on to their descendents. that the emotive feeling of meaning has a place for discussion within the mechanical laws of physics. Of course. misperceived teachings. The physicality of intention allows the physicist in me to incorporate an understanding of emotion into the laws that govern the universe. or more modern sects thereof such as the Mormon tradition of Christianity. and the constants of nature are so delicately and precisely tuned. It is in this concept of intended creation. Christianity. these are the most deeply tortured questions within our minds. and most of them who do are grounded in good science. Hinduism.the nature of intent. Islam. From my perspective. what have we collectively learned then? If we were to attempt. broken logic. and just plain outright lies. Some are choosing to look at the anthropic principle and turn it on its head: Nature is so perfectly suited to create conscious life through evolution. Though resort to a God begs the question of who is above God. most resilient morsels of historical truth. in a few cases with equal or greater vigor.PART II
EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION. in the most fundamental teaching that creation was intended. religions are true to my view of reality. But religions have succeeded in remembering the most sacred concepts known to our ancestors. personal interpretations. such as the simplistic-sounding biblical account of intended creation.which science has utterly failed to teach me directly ... myths. only a few physicists have been brave enough to openly contemplate the possibilities of a connection from consciousness through intent to creation as they peer into the quantum vacuum. that the concept of utter randomness is deemed more difficult to comprehend than some kind of intended creation. however imperfectly. Some of the brightest minds in science are focusing on this issue . or be-ing. Whether the subjective faith is Judaism. Buddhism. Unfortunately. what would we find? What are those ancient concepts most resonant with what modern western civilization has learned after a few centuries of good science? What
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. religions have also carried forward. because the consequences for our interpretation of human experience are held to be crucially hinged on what is believed to be a binary answer. WE GROW MORE DANGEROUS YET WISER EACH DAY. science is no better.
Most of us in western civilization have deeply pondered the questions: Is there a God? Is there truth to religion? For many of us. there is one concept of which I am logically and totally convinced . These postures are quite literally equally unable to address the basic question of what it is that is eternal. TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US.but which religion has long held and somewhat rationally explained in its internal structure: There can be no question that the Cosmos is the product of intent. As we survey the knowledge passed down from our world's religions. to boil away the cloudy soup and find only the strongest. and have envisioned the concept of a continuing intellect-driven creation process that has yet to be broadly understandable or even imagined by science.

It reached its apogee with Newton and dominated Western science until the 20th century." To me.Sharon Begley. Newsweek. Taken as a whole this is nothing short of astonishing. the smallest indivisable somethings out of which the universe is constructed. fundamentally different than what anyone expected. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The Physicist and the Mystic "The achievements of modern science seem to contradict religion and undermine faith.. The problem comes when we mistake the representation for the real thing. At the beginning of the 20th century it seemed that physics was about to complete the millennia old quest of Western science. This insight is succinctly phrased by the adage. recorded in his autobiography. The dialogue seems a little eccentric at times but otherwise fits the subject well. But for a growing number of scientists. A more complete ecumenical discussion can be found within the unedited version of The Truth. After travelling a separate road for centuries many physicists have arrived at the same place as mystics.Charles Townes. It is still the view of reality held by most people because it appears to accurately describe the world we see around us. the overall goal of Western science has been to find the basic building blocks of creation. New insights and technologies made it possible to peer more deeply into the nature of things than ever before. was typical of the shock most physicists felt: "All my attempts to adopt the theoretical foundation of physics to this knowledge failed completely." -. Achieving this goal meant breaking the universe down into its component parts to see how everything fit together.concepts of value were our ancestors attempting to pass down to us? What was so important to pass on that many of them chose to give their lives in order that we might remember? I have chosen in this condensed version to answer these questions through a review of only a few realms of religious scholarship. The truth that existed in the sub-atomic. How could such seemingly different and opposing views produce the same conclusions? Or perhaps a better question might be. Nobel Prize winning Physicist. the same discoveries offer support for spirituality and hints of the very nature of God. somehow intelligence must have been involved in the laws of the universe. quantum world was the opposite of what our rational and logically constructed representations had led us to believe. UC Berkeley Do the physicist and the mystic have anything in common as we approach the end of the second millennium? Imagine going to a physics lecture on the current state of knowledge about the universe. Now imagine you were in the wrong room and attending a lecture on what Eastern mysticism says about the same subject. I strongly sense the presence and actions of a creative being far beyond myself and yet always personal and close by. Yet what it describes is not precisely reality but rather a representation or approximation of reality. It was as if the ground had been pulled out from under
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. July 1998 "As a religious person. "The map is not the territory"." -.. How did the East penetrate to the heart of things so long before the West? Ever since the Greeks first posited the atom. This is the mechanistic world view of classical physics. Einstein's reaction. cosmology reveals "a universe that fits religious views. It's a highly unlikely scenario but not impossible because both have come to strikingly similar conclusions about the fundamental nature of reality. But what physicists saw was radically.

The terms "mystic" and "mysticism" have acquired a negative conotation in the West. the eternally creative force at work in the universe. and the intuitive. it can never be understood intellectually. The further danger exists in that the "lamguage" employed. hold that since the universe is not governed by logic or rationality. perhaps going too far to the other extreme on the other hand. Western civilization has been characterized by an intellectual bias in explaining the universe. If they did they would discover a world defined more by mysticism and intuition than science and logic. transcendental. or are associated with a belief in the fanciful or the makebelieve. like the world described by quantum physics. BUT NOT ALTERED
. By introducing this duality they turned away from the principle that all things were one and began a philosophical schism between East and West. to be fixed in a definite place and time. pragmatic truth of the everyday. that the unity of everything is real and revealed in the inherent connection and instantaneous "communication" that takes place between subatomic particles. contradiction. On the contrary however. is in forgetting that these are approximations and may not accurately reflect the true conditions of the universe. with no firm foundation to be seen anywhere upon which one could have built. By apprehending reality on a direct. Eastern mystical traditions. is really participation?). profound truth of the Tao. Like anything else taken to an extreme. modern physics is hurtling towards the idea that the ultimate nature of the universe is as mystics have held all along: That all things are truly one. and impossibility. It is therefore inherent in the nature of the Tao that you can never know its reality through rational means: it is not amenable to language. But even now--fans of martial arts. the source of all things. and determines a particle's "potential" to actualize in an identifiable way (does this mean that all observation then. And yet. Thus the Tao Te Ching. as noted previously. The danger. "The Tao that can be expressed in words is not the eternal Tao" The Eastern tradition then. classification or quantization but rather. is something of an illusion. And that to exist "objectively". Only through the intuition--which is not suborned by approximation or logic--can we come to know non-rational transcendental truth. experiential level they ignore the illusion of reality they believe is created
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. in this case rationality and logic. According to the Eastern tradition there are two levels of truth: the rational. one of the classics of eastern thought says. They imply a type of reasoning that is unclear. logical. That reality is determined by awareness insofar as reality can be determined at all. Buddhism and the Dalai Lama notwithstanding--few people have taken the time to really explore its traditions and beliefs. This has changed somewhat in the last three decades as a global communications network has come online. it limits our ability to conceptualize or think about reality in any other way. imprecise or nebulous. We have used the intellectual tools of rational thought and logic to create representations of reality that have the virtue of being easier to grasp than reality itself. Duality 2500 years ago the Greeks not only proposed the atom but also the separation of matter and spirit. This is the Tao in Taoist thought. yoga. In simplest terms it was about. a mystic is someone who has devoted themselves to clarity. What we can know and How we can know it. ends up determining the kind of questions that get asked and how the answers are interpreted.one. That the act of observation itself (awareness) forces possibility to coalesce as choice. Historically the Eastern world has always been a cipher to the West. the one absolute and transcendental truth. filled with seeming paradox." Unnoticed at the time was the fact that another belief system had discovered the same truths as modern physics long before the 20th century. has accented the intuitive mode of knowing because it does not depend on intellectual concepts to grasp the true nature of things.

the mystical tradition is a footnote in the history of the West. Nature. This term also refers to the journey itself or the way of attaining this awareness. is both process and goal. Those in their passive. but in the movement of all things. This cyclicity allows us to understand that life is a process of gain and loss. meaning the natural order and interaction of all things. This is analogous to the years of specialized schooling it takes to master the disciplines of western science. Hinduism.by the intellect--instead of a description of reality. mystics must learn to use meditation to enter into and sustain a deep intuitive state. Yang expands or radiates". It is the principle of yin and yang--the rhythmic oscillation of all things between the poles of action and passivity. all science and philosophy is understood in a religious and spiritual context. BUT NOT ALTERED
. All manifestations in their overt. for what is true or correct in one circumstance is bound to be false in another. Enlightenment on the other hand. of advance and retreat. The Taoists say. Overall. that all things are relative and in constant flux within the eternal Tao. but it is actually quite different. Their common goal is enlightenment. The Tao is embodied in Nature and Nature echoes the Tao. In the East however. The primary threads of spirituality run through Buddhism. Wisdom refers to a body of insights realized over time through experience and reflection. Yin and Yang
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the mystic seeks direct knowledge of its nature through intuition. Meditation and specialized forms of music. is the state of oneness with the Tao. The balance between these two modes of knowing underlies the great strength and longevity of Eastern tradition. and that setbacks and obstacles are essential ingredients of growth and evolution. and Taoism. The character of this change is cyclic. Just as a scientist must learn to use experimentation to support rationality and logic. It also supplies a more complete and appropriate context for the intellectual consideration of all information and knowledge. Converging Thought In the West however. not just as it applies. In Eastern thought. is a source of both rational and transcendental knowledge. The Tao then. This term has often been used synonymously with wisdom in the west. Again the "Tao Te Ching" says. From the 15th century on. Many cultural forms in the East are designed to enhance this process by creating opportunities to develop the intuition. are not defined simply by one aspect or the other. understanding the universe has become a solely intellectual process valid only in the context of science. Intuition gives a deeply felt experience of reality that is lacking in the West. active stage are considered yang. and poetry are all meant to help shift the consciousness from the rational to the intuitive. The observation and contemplation of nature has been central in formulating the concepts of Eastern thought. Mysticism often demands a regimen of contemplation and discipline which may entail years of study with one or more masters. The nature of the movement within these cycles is the fundamental dynamic of the Tao and of all Eastern thought. All complex processes including human existence. Using both intuition and intellect has allowed the East to see other insights into the nature of the universe. mysticism is a mode of knowing which seeks awareness of those aspects of existence not addressed by rationality and logic. Its purpose seems limited to discovering the ways and means to manipulate reality for some specific end. This signifies a deeper awareness and understanding of reality than is available through the intellect alone. quiescent stage are yin. nature teaches that change is a fundamental condition of the universe. "Yin conserves or accumulates. to the shifting of the seasons. dance. Therefore rigidity or fixedness is contrary to nature. The ultimate result is that Western science has become estranged from spiritual and religious issues altogether. for example. Becoming attached to a specific viewpoint or opinion is foolish. Though it has always been present to a degree. little credence was given to intuition and mysticism as valid sources of knowledge. but derive from the constantly shifting relationships between the two.

Though they embody a relationship between opposites they are manifestations of one thing and they move between its poles. Soon the couple's son tried to tame the wild horses but was thrown and suffered a broken leg. "Perhaps". But again the couple smiled and said only. They both possess a bit of the other and all things contain some of both. Is "perhaps" not just another way of saying that the concept is a possibility? I believe there is indeed quantum physics buried within the machinery of our brains. Then smiling. Water evaporates from the surface of the planet to form clouds (accumulative yin stage) then returns to earth as rain (radiating yang stage). BUT NOT ALTERED
. They were poor but content. The next night the horse returned home followed by several wild horses. Contemplating the harmonious relationship between yin and yang leads us to the concept of balance. "Perhaps". The neighbors expressed their condolences for this tribulation. On the cosmic level gasses coalesce to form the sun (accumulative yin stage) then the sun gives off energy (radiating yang stage). But the couple's reply was the same as before. "Perhaps". They illustrate the attraction of opposites by making us realize that only in such movement can stability and equilibrium be found. Now the neighbors congratulated them on their good fortune. In the movement of our bodies we observe that some muscles contract (active yang stage) while others relax (passive yin stage). having run off in the night. At this the neighbors decided the old couple had grown strange. One morning the horse was gone. But the couple only smiled and said. The next day war was declared and soldiers came to conscript all the young men of the villages for the army. But this time the neighbors paused to think. Their neighbors expressed sorrow at this misfortune.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.The principle of yin and yang has been studied and refined for over 2000 years. To which the couple smiled and replied once more. Yet it has also retained a simplicity which allows us to see its manifestations wherever we look. In that time it has acquired tremendous depth and subtlety and is capable of explaining the most intricate workings of the universe. and a horse. a son. engineering space through time. they slowly nodded their heads and said. Only the couple's son was exempted because of his broken leg. This time the neighbors came and expressed their amazement at how lucky the couple were. "Perhaps". There is an old Chinese story about a couple who had only a hut on a small plot of land.

and whatever the human condition has contributed to their reconstruction or deconstruction from essential beginnings. They assert that we must strive to be a vehicle of God. it would have been clear that considerably more teaching would be necessary for a race of beings as primitive as we. or inside us. to be able recognize a more complete concept of God. In this teaching. around. almost all world mystical traditions fundamentally reinforce the idea that we are all a part of a much larger order.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and. the mystical traditions have played an indispensable role in framing the psychology of the world’s faiths. emanating our experience to others to unlock the keys to the universe.Beyond Mysticism Whatever the historicity. sophisticated. I believe. or relevance of mystical traditions such as the popular. or the obscure and veiled Kabbalah. But to any God above. meaning. framing the reality that science seeks to comprehend. and successful traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

Approximately two thousand years ago. It attempts to break no new ground in religious scholarship. but as important. Millions would agree that the life of Jesus Christ is the centerpoint of human history: with events prior to this time looking toward this life.
"The kairos is fulfilled. Gravity and Grace. Christianity. The common calendar reflects this perception. to travel beyond our own globe. In every circumstance of our movement beyond the current frontier. "do not fear." This reassuring advice of deity appears again and again. and history thereafter inexorably affected by this life. the contacts with deity. creation and annihilation." -. in order to suggest that communication beyond "normal" human contact has existed from the beginning. the alien.Mk. When. a stone that falls. spoke. the "other. Some. 1972 This is written as we are poised at the beginning of a new millennium." with the paradoxical proposal that the "other" be both honored by her distinctiveness. recognized for her common characteristics with existing accepted members of a community all blessed with the image of God.1:15 "God has provided that when his grace penetrates to the very center of a person. A fraction of that number influence a larger society for a time. through divine appearance. Fundamental teachings are reiterated as a challenge to our behavior and our being. lest our savagery threaten God’s creation. a person turns away from God.. he thinks that he can decide and choose. our passport.how. God has repeated . Then we should fear our fear. Though the term was never used. Fundamental spiritual integrity would seem to be the qualification for such communication or travel. our final frontier. and ecstatic experience are related. as our capacity grows to communicate and perhaps. How is it that one life so profoundly affected human history? A tiny number of people seem to affect society beyond their family. a religion formed around his life.Simone Weil. need not react with fear toward whatever or whomever we may meet on our planet and beyond earth. And if we examine human society and souls closely enough and with real attention. The purpose of all this is to suggest that believers in the world’s great religions.. and died in such a way that the world was forever changed. and the Kingdom of God has come near. such that we may be safely entrusted with the powers of life and death. in his lifetime. A small portion of those affect large regions of the world for a longer time.TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES. he simply gives himself up to the laws of gravity. the life of Christ has
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. angelic revelation. however. and from there illuminates all his being. so far as we know. Then." -. he is able to walk on water without violating any of the laws of nature. Throughout. but rather simply restates a Christian message with an emphasis upon the way Christianity has met the stranger. everything is obedient to the mechanical laws as blind and as exact as the laws of gravitation. that we clearly possess in genocidal weapons and delivery systems capable of destroying continents. a young man lived. but he is only a thing. throughout the Hebrew Bible and Christian testament the admonition. we see that wherever the virtue of supernatural light is absent. conversions. possessed with capacities of transportation and communication to any point on the globe and into the Cosmos. It is directed to an audience and a generation largely unfamiliar with biblical scripture. here looking particularly to the Christian tradition. Only when we see the stranger as enemy should we fear. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. radically altered the direction of world history. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

Now. We then examine our actual cultural and biological differences and our similarities. Press. during the last fraction of our last life of eight-hundred. face the same question: How have we absorbed. increasingly unitary and organic. The message of the parable of Jesus. at our core. and the world of the Renaissance. Jaroslav Pelikan has observed the many ways that Jesus has influenced cultures as diverse as the Jewish community of the first century. And all are in the image of the Creator. For the Christian. the vision is ever-expanding. the image of God. the Christian through the centuries saw the mission and life of Jesus as the central point of an ever-expanding cosmic ripple that would affect all people. or at a new point of intimacy. We are like fish swimming in a Christian sea. at our door. Jesus Through the Centuries. Reformation. only now. we look in both directions. Each breakthrough in Christian history involved the challenge of a new frontier. Communication with every culture thereafter presented once again the need of reassessment of the Christian story in the context of civilizations meeting each other. ( See. unaware of the water. and Enlightenment. variously.. what it means to be children of God. and by the implications for all that has been and yet will be. with technology allowing communication. from a Christian perspective. our inability to have seen and understood earlier. New Haven: Yale U. Christians. or those of Teilhard de Chardin or Thomas Berry in the first and last of the twentieth century whose paradigm is dominated by the insights of biology and physics. From photographs of earth from space we see a globe verdant with the color of life. He was the Messiah. We become at once both the one and the many. into the modern world whose paradigm has been dominated by physics and biology. the Savior and the Deliverer of Israel. expands outward and inward with revelations of relationships that shock the recipient. Jewish Christianity met the challenge of dialogue with the gentile world of the Roman Empire. worshiping God by whatever name.affected almost all portions of the world and in many areas has become the influence that suffuses the culture so pervasively that we remain unconscious of the degree to which this is so. and if the rate of technological change continues. under Roman rule. From the perspective of a benign Cosmos observing our readiness. or the lawyer in dialogue with Jesus. once again. Jaroslav Pelikan. in a Cosmos increasingly revealed as being one organic whole. In turn. and members of this world’s other religions. more radical change is upon us. either for the first time. the King of Kings. with radical changes in travel and communication. For the Jewish Christian of the first century. to communicate and perhaps to travel beyond our own earth. From that perspective— looking at earth from space— can we see each other with the love of brothers and sisters? Societal and tribal difference are seen as infinitely valuable variants of the endless forms of life created by a God clearly crazily in love with life. will determine the answer. God incarnate. And then redefine. how would we appear? By means of the same technology that allows us to communicate and to travel as never before. the suffering servant. The life and teachings of Jesus Christ. am I responsible
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. With the intervention of Pauline Christianity and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70-71 A. The answer to the question of Cain. as we come to possess a portion of the power of God? This is the question as we approach the frontiers of space at Y2K. through the gentile culture of Asia Minor. Jesus was so touched by God as to be His Son. 1985). with God’s help. the Prince of Peace. the Anointed One of God. and perhaps travel. messiah. both by our blindness. Huge changes in human society have occurred during the past two thousand years. to European Christendom. these eras conceived Jesus in ways which would have shocked his disciples of the first century. in the image of God.D. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Whether expressed by the metaphors of mysticism: the deep spirituality of Francis of Assisi and Hildegard of Bingen of the twelfth or thirteenth century. became. the heir to the throne of David. to the Roman society of the Empire. The teacher. the Good Samaritan. or perhaps comprehend at a different level. rabbi. But the problems of communication and interaction made possible by a new means of mobility have been central to the story of Christianity from the beginning. How will Christianity shape and be shaped by these radical social changes in our transportation and communication? We. we also now possess the means to destroy life and creation. constitutes the most dramatic and profound intervention of God in history. beyond earth. indeed all life.

angels of God. probably recently expelled from synagogue worship in the family fight of the first century as Christianity defined itself as something other than the mother community of all Christianity. New York: Doubleday." (Matt. Matthew connected Jesus to Abraham. Christianity today must acknowledge both the debt and the richness of our Jewish heritage. he could publically renounce the engagement. 2:2 Matthew’s gospel was addressed to Jewish Christians. was engaged to Joseph. for he will save his people from their sins. the founding prophet of the Law. Joseph found that Mary was pregnant and according to Jewish law. with St. by a gentile physician and friend and
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.. 1998) God’s tender redemptive love. In each of these historic levels of human advance." ripples outward to embrace Jew and gentile. and finally. through prophets from Amos to Isaiah and Jeremiah. A concept of linear time and the possibility of human intervention to affect human destiny would develop.. -. The Gifts of the Jews. from which Christianity emerged and.) Matthew notes for his Jewish Christian community that this fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that. he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. through David and Solomon. ancient Israel and the Jews. son of David. By the time of Isaiah. unless otherwise indicated. New frontiers now reveal themselves through the cosmic Christ. through ecumenical insight and inter-faith dialogue building bridges between Christian denominations and among religious and spiritual traditions worldwide. New Standard Revised Version. "hesed. (See Thomas Cahill. but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son. the distinction between that which is organic and inorganic is blurred with Sister Moon and Stars.. he took her as his wife. 7:14) Matthew records that "when Joseph awoke." (Matt. husband of Mary. Mary. "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. and in personal appearance in the conscious light of day. shamefully the virulent anti-Semitism spawned by Christian leadership in church and state through the centuries. slave and master. Isa. but this decision was reversed by an "angel of the Lord" who "appeared to him in a dream and said. or Jehovah himself.-would be born. David. Through Isaac and Jacob and Moses. Monotheism-. Instead. Jesus’ birth was no exception. and Brother Sun. women and men. 1:24-25) The gospel of Luke was written. 1:23. all quotations are from the New Oxford Analytical Bible. later kings including their most beloved. published by Oxford University Press.. do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. and they shall name him Emmanuel. a sense of history would come into being. "who is my neighbor. The Birth of Jesus We observed his star at its rising. and you are to name him Jesus. Isaac and Jacob." would be seen to move ever outward: through Israel but finally meant to go to all creation. 1:18-21. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the Jewish faith. Later centuries of Christian thought and action would forget this profound Jewish moral and intellectual and spiritual bequest.belief in the one God. appeared: in dreams. ‘Joseph.to brother or sister. the law was seen to be of necessity not only a legal code to govern external conduct. but more profoundly ethical and internal. he decided privately to terminate the engagement. Jeremiah. In leaving Sumerian culture the Lord set Abraham on a course that would create a unique and profoundly influential people. according to powerful tradition. according to post-biblical tradition and biblical inference. and a God of utter dependability and morality would evolve.Matt. a young Jewish girl. The Lord had directed Abram (later Abraham) out of the ancient Sumerian city of Ur and led Abraham out of civilization and into a life of nomadic wandering. The law was to be written upon the tender places of our heart. for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. and he named him Jesus" (Matt. finally to Joseph. She will bear a son." which means "God is with us. those of every race and nationality. impossible of overstatement. and all life forms other than human are embraced by the poor little man of Assisi who preached to birds and befriended the Wolf of Gubbio. God wanted mercy and not simply sacrifice. the world would forever be changed. Francis. a philosophy of never-ending circularity shorn of purpose and utterly deterministic would be abandoned. a considerably older man. and Hosea.

for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day a Savior. 2:4-7) Then. and you will name him Jesus. pp.." (See Lk. 1:17) Zechariah.... 2:8-14) Then. 1:11) The angel announced that he was Gabriel. Luke records the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem in Judea. Gabriel said "greetings. a priest. New York: Doubleday. he did obtain information from many eyewitnesses of Jesus..traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. 2:19. 1:26-38) Mary visited Elizabeth whose baby "leaped in her womb. Mary. "to a virgin engaged to . favored one! The Lord is with you. Zechariah’s wife. where Joseph and Mary had traveled from Nazareth in Galilee. The Gifts of the Jews. since such would be unknown to his gentile community. Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth. since his audience was primarily composed of gentile Christians. (Lk. Gabriel responded: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. who is the Messiah. would conceive a son. "blessed are you among women. struck dumb by Gabriel for his incredulousness at such news in their old age." The angel reassured them: "Do not be afraid. and bear a son." and that his name was to be John." Mary responded. according to his account. Elizabeth." whose name was Mary." Mary was ‘perplexed’ by this announcement and Gabriel continued: "Do not be afraid. for you have found favor with God. among whom might have been Mary. who by lot was chosen to enter the sanctuary of the temple and offer incense. the Magnificat. and when Sarah "chuckled. Though not a first-hand witness to the events he relates in his gospel. the Lord. 74-76." Elizabeth exclaimed. And now. Luke’s gospel is powerfully Pauline." And Gabriel left.g. therefore the child to be born will be holy. The Acts of the Apostles." as she overheard God ["Shaddai"] tell her 100 year-old husband that his aged wife would conceive and bear Isaac) didn’t speak again until the birth and naming of his son. Lk. "there appeared to him an angel of the Lord. 1:63) (See Thomas Cahill. even though both were "getting on in years. (Lk.. and on the earth peace. and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. he will be called Son of God. to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.. He will be great. "here am I." Then. Nor does he so much cite biblical prophecies as being fulfilled by Jesus’ birth and ministry. . an "angel of the Lord" appeared to shepherds watching their flocks at night. incidentally. While so serving. praising God and saying. let it be with me according to your word." (Lk. for "nothing will be impossible with God.. since this gospel relates some of the tenderest accounts of Jesus’ nativity and life." Mary exclaimed that she was a virgin and wondered how this could be. and they were terrified. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Farrar speculated at the beginning of this century." (Lk. "in her old age" had conceived a son and was now in her sixth month. as the great Anglican scholar Frederick W. Joseph." Mary was also told that her cousin.. you will conceive . 1998) In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. "when the angels had left them and gone into heaven." (Lk. 51) From Luke’s gospel and its companion book. Mary gave birth to Jesus and "wrapped him in bands of cloth.. and laid him in a Manger. But both Jew and gentile understood the portent of angelic intervention by God in human history.. 1:46-55) Following the birth of John. and the glory of the Lord shone around them. Luke begins by relating the vision of Zechariah. when he wrote on a writing tablet "his name is John.13) John would be "great in the sight of the Lord. "I stand in the presence of God. the angel "stood before them. "suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host. and will be called the Son of the Most High. Luke begins his gospel not with genealogical lineage to Abraham. ( remember how Abraham was incredulous." Mary then voiced one of the most sacred passages in Christian literature." and would "turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. the servant of the Lord. we derive. because there was no place for them in the inn. standing at the right side of the altar of incense. As Mark’s gospel reflects the influence of Peter.. and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you the good news" that Elizabeth. 1:19. most of the names and accomplishments of women in the New Testament during that powerfully patriarchal time. and on more than one occasion Luke notes that Mary "pondered them in her heart" (e. (Lk. which begins: "My soul magnifies the Lord. ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven." the shepherds went to Bethlehem to worship
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." when family members gathered for this event.’" (Lk.

writing with the power of his principal source. Luke simply records that "Jesus increased in wisdom and in years. who came to Jerusalem. and it remained on him. not the Baptist) records the instant recognition by the Baptist of Jesus as Messiah: "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! . Jesus is suddenly presented in the first lines as the Word of God. grand.. describes Jesus’ baptism by John: "And just as he was coming up out of the water. "Look. the Beloved.’" After Herod had died. here is the Lamb of God!" (Jn. "they were warned in a dream" not to return to Herod. ‘Get up.The Word became flesh and lived among us." is dramatically seen from the beginning." After paying homage to Jesus. 1:29-36) Mark. but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me. they were overwhelmed with joy.. 2:13-20) The Gospel writers pass over the childhood and youth of Jesus in respectful silence. asking: ‘Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising. ‘you are my Son. with you I am well pleased. ahead of them. 1:12-13) Jesus was now ready for his ministry. The grandeur of God. take the child and his mother. Jn.’" The next day. John again saw Jesus. to be tempted by Satan and "the wild beasts. ‘He on whom you see the spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. and the dialogue between twelve year-old Jesus and the teachers of the law in the Temple. the Creator of all that is and present from the beginning: In the beginning was the Word. for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead. who went toward Bethlehem: "There.." (Lk. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and again exclaimed. and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you. God Almighty. "the Word made flesh. the cosmic role of Jesus as Christ. take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel. 2:2152) After the ministry of John had commenced." And "angels waited on him. Mark. he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven. who sought to gain information about the birth of Jesus from the wise men. offering him gold.’" The message of a "King of the Jews" being born threatened King Herod. except to mention his presentation in the temple at the time of Mary’s purification and the prophetic blessings of Simeon and Anna.1:1-14 The first three gospels (Matthew. All things came into being through him. "an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said.. "An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said.. Rather. Jesus sought baptism from John. I myself did not know him. When they saw that the Star had stopped. Joseph was warned before to leave. and the Word was God." (Mk. The Ministry of Jesus Christ In the Beginning was the Word. it would be more accurate to describe the gospel of John to be stupendous.Jesus and related to all who were there the message of the angels. until it stopped over the place where the child was." (Lk. 2: 1-12) And though Herod would massacre babies and children in Bethlehem. to destroy him. ‘Get up. the Son of God.’" (Matt. The writer of the Gospel of John (the Evangelist. I saw the spirit descending from the heaven like a dove. called the "synoptic" gospels because their organization is similar though their material differs one from another significantly. and the Word was with God.. And Mary "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.’" (Mk. (Matt. and the word was God. He was in the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and Luke). and the Word was with God. unique. and we have come to pay him homage. went the Star that they had seen at its rising. and in divine and human favor. for Herod is about to search for the child. and myrrh. frankincense. 1:9-11) Then the Spirit "drove" Jesus into the wilderness. 2:15-19) Matthew tells of the visit of "wise men from the East. are sharply distinct from John’s gospel. the Apostle Peter. .

1:14) Jesus began his ministry with that statement that believing people through the millennia had awaited with awe and anticipation: "The kairos is fulfilled. He was in the world. Namibia. and his liturgical. Luke seems to see at least some portion of this core of Jesus’ teaching as an ordination sermon and a charge delivered to the twelve and to others of his disciples. the meek. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The merciful will receive mercy and the pure in heart will see God. present among and within the disciples. the glory as the Father’s only Son. and the world came into being through him. and believe in the good news. mourners will be comforted. ethical teachings." (Jn." No Christian canon yet existed. Essential elements of the law were seen as norms always should be: not as static neutral principles. sacramental and most spiritual practices. Provisionally. with whatever mediation of church. and spiritual practice. somehow automatically to be applied with ruthless unfeeling rigor. yet. 9-10. and the Kingdom of God had come near. Jesus quoted the prophets extensively. the first emotional movement toward any overt act of violence. also to be prayed for and anticipated in some future grand fulfillment. 1989) "The Kingdom of God" seems to be the centerpiece around which Jesus elaborated his ministry of healings and miracles. In that way our light will be seen and God will be revealed. will inherit the earth. The Road to Damascus: Kairos and Conversion. 14) After the arrest of the Baptist and Jesus’ return from forty days of fasting and temptation. might. love (hesed) and justice.beginning with God. He "came to Galilee. to treat all life and all creation with awe and reverence: finally to worship God with all one’s heart. "lawyers and hypocrites" seems to have been a hyphenated term. the great Sermon has been used then and ever since that time as constituting the central core of Jesus’ teachings.. visible as if on a hill. and South Africa. as Teacher.. repent. a document signed by Third World Christians from El Salvador. his parables and discourses. Matthew records the Sermon on the Mount as preceding Jesus’ calling his twelve apostles. . All things came into being through him. especially Isaiah." (See. and the life was the light of all people. "the time is fulfilled. the Philippines. The Word became flesh and lived among us. Those taken to task throughout the gospels were the lawyers. mind and strength. Guatemala. The light shines in the darkness. Nicaragua. not the rich and powerful. But rather as principles founded upon and guided by grounded concepts of mercy. as Jesus and the apostles made constant reference to "the scriptures.. full of grace and truth. CIRR London. God’s Kingdom seemed at once fulfilled by Jesus’ ministry. Therefore when we approach God in worship we must first reconcile with our estranged brother or sister. and we have seen his glory. What has come into being in him was life. Korea. (See Luke 6:20-49) In either event. Jesus taught that the prohibition against murder had an interior warning against anger. For Jesus." (Mark 1:15) Kairos refers to the most decisive moment. the point lost by centuries of Christian persecution of the Jews. In this Sermon the motivating ideas of the Roman culture of occupation and power are turned on their head. . which enlightens everyone. and without him not one thing came into being. The members of God’s Kingdom will be a light to the world. Ultimately. Jesus. The true light. dogma." (Mk. Those who recognize their spiritual poverty will be blessed. of course. 1:1-5. "dense with the possibilities of grace. not under a basket. with profound commitment so to live in ethical relation with others that Christians would see the face of Christ in every human being now or ever living. the casuists: the scribal interpreters of the law who through the centuries had debased it of its ethical and spiritual core. Jesus and Paul warned against using the adversarial or
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. yet the world did not know him." or as most English translations render the word. was coming into the world. proclaiming the good news of God. the mother community of all Christianity. to the Hebrew Bible. in communal and singular worship. it is to live. Reference for these early Christians was always made. labored to move society another rung up the ladder toward God’s Kingdom. and the darkness did not overcome it.. ancient Israel’s prophets had seen exactly that. Indeed. it would be to live in the constant and immediate presence of God.

with piercing insights into our human inclination to be otherwise. we may threaten the creative work of God. A prohibition against oaths was taken by Jesus to the level of radical truth-telling: we are to speak spare simple truth. this graphic. proportional justice was to be meted out: an eye for an eye. Jesus said. forbidden by Jesus’ teaching. Give us this day our daily bread. You have heard that it was said. Jesus knew that a violent response to violence must somehow be interdicted or an ascending spiral of violence would engulf society. with an ending perhaps beyond one or more generation. 6:1-11) Better far if we agree with our adversary before reaching the courthouse steps. If someone asks for your coat. Enemy love. complete. what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters. you must offer your cloak as well.. what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect. perhaps. a cart. ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. And do not bring us to the time of trial. our world. Male prerogatives to divorce at will and leave women without protection or recourse were condemned. 5:38-48) To be perfect as our Father is perfect is to be whole. Instead.inquisitorial institutions of law to resolve our disputes because this dehumanizing institutionalization of dispute resolution would often only make things worse. Your will be done. And forgive us our debts. We are not to publish our piety or our charity. on earth as it is in heaven. and 1 Cor. even this just and usually peaceful system was to be transcended. For the first time. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Then we reach the mother lode of Christian social and ethical teaching. but rather subsume it with good. Martin Luther King. without inquiry whether they are among the "worthy poor. 6:13)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The great Sermon continues. seemingly savage example had evolved into a form of simple tort law: the money or barter equivalent of an eye (or a donkey. violence must be absorbed without retaliation. Jr. not ornate. BUT NOT ALTERED
. (Matt. No violent response can ever finally end violence. the emotional and mental antecedents were emphasized: lust and controlling avarice or possessiveness. had been an enormous upward step from antique religious notions of blood feud: the massacre of a village to avenge the rape of Dinah. We now possess the power to destroy all life on the planet and the capacity. we are to resist the invitation to violent resolution simply by turning the other cheek. so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. (Compare Matt. perhaps beyond. Under the lex talionis. While such violence may indeed induce a cathartic moment. We are not to resist evil with evil. Our prayer is to be in our closet. Before Jesus. to carry this lifedenying power throughout the universe. or an arm or leg) if blame was upon another for such loss. Mahatma Gandhi. for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good. no less. nevertheless Jesus perceived and taught that the impulse to violence finally must be broken by one who refused to play the game: violence for violence for violence. Now. The lex talionis. We are to give to those who ask. but rescue us from the evil one. Our prayer is to be simple. If struck on the right cheek (the cheek upon which a ceremonial challenge would be delivered).’ But I say unto you. and millions of other people of all faiths. That part of Christian teaching that would inflame Tolstoy. (Matt. as your heavenly Father is perfect. For if you love those who love you. and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. therefore. an eye for an eye. We are to be responsive to need and non-violent in our relationships. rather than the often long and tortuous road of reconciliation. 5:23-26. as we also have forgiven our debtors. but again." since to do otherwise would be to exercise judgment upon another. apart from prayer for public admiration. rhetorical: Our Father in Heaven hallowed be your name. and may seem quick and decisive. Your Kingdom come. and with today’s technology. Adultery should be avoided. No more.

Jesus then moves to a principle clearly related to non-violence and the love of enemies. the "daily bread. enemy love and non-violence. and clergy. clothing. it is for nothing the cat has done.. is laced throughout the Hebrew Bible and our Christian commentary.. the drug industry. an infinitely harder task. and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. first take the log out of your own eye. there to meet Satan and wild beasts. thereafter to be healed and comforted by angels. In a sense. Psychologists go through some form of psychoanalysis themselves before being let loose upon the public in order first to meet and recognize their own demons. If we judge we will be judged by others. would either make life simpler for mental and physical health practitioners. 6:34) This single provision of mental. through unconscious. Indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need these things.We pray to God for His Kingdom to come. But if God so clothes the grass of the field. 7:3-5) Here we meet the subjectivity of evil. Life devoted to the acquisition of wealth precludes a life of discipleship to God. Not tomorrow. Powerful admonition is given to live faithfully in the present. as Jehovah taught Israel with manna from Heaven. as well. yet I tell you. Today’s trouble is enough for today. and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. The scapegoat has been the recipient of such projection." (Matt. they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. Ultimately we go naked to God. the forces of darkness. how they grow. to live in the future is to live without faith. (Matt. Jesus being driven by the Spirit into the wilderness. Nevertheless we meet subjective evil many times each day. 6:25-33) We are to remain attentive to today. shelter: Look at the birds of the air. such evil takes a life of its own and seems to transmute into its more sinister objective variation. radical truth telling. And when pushed to a corporate level." He recognized that in our hearts we must forgive others if indeed we are ever to forgive ourselves. they neither toil nor spin. devastating self-judgment. There is no doubt that biblical text reveals the belief in objective evil. Projecting our own fears into others is as old as human experience. since one or the other will prevail. saying. early Christians refused many offices in Roman civil and military government. ‘let me take the speck out of your eye. physical and spiritual health if lived. will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry. we fail to forgive ourselves and extend the same mercy toward ourselves that we understand we should do toward others." (Matt. When I return from work harried and in stress and kick the cat through the hedge.’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite. lest unconsciously they damage patients by projecting their own torment into the patient. and all these things will be given to you as well. We avoid avarice and gluttony by looking only to the needs of the day. It is useless to hoard wealth of this world since its reality and our possession of it are so fleeting. 7:1-2) On the basis of this provision and the prohibition against oaths. (Matt. Battling Satan. To live in the past is to deny God’s forgiveness. ‘What will we eat? or ‘what will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’. Consider the lilies of the field. Our frailty is acknowledged by pleading that times of trial may be avoided. for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Jesus said: "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye. .. the phenomenon of projection. Our Father knows our earthly needs: food. perhaps.. there to attempt their own cure in the psyche of the other. Next and again related to judgment. But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness. the scapegoat. Or yesterday: "So do not worry about tomorrow. fragile. was his own human preparation for ministry. BUT NOT ALTERED
. even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. We are forbidden to judge. but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor. The human scapegoat is usually someone or some race or ethnic or religious group apart
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as we shrink from facing our demons. or religion or our planet. more savage spectacle for the group frenzy to kick in. But biblical religion also provides the only way out: a love so profound and a consciousness of self so acute that projections might be recognized and withdrawn and pain healed. or for prohibition from participation in society. But the differences don’t anymore constitute bases for fear. But when this does come about. The problem with such a means of organization is that it demands an increasingly more murderous act in order to work. or Satan. such paranoia will be registered in random. 1995). or grounds for excommunication from communion. "The stranger" is the classic victim. New York: Crossroad. Gil Bailie. The "other" is always respected as someone other than ourselves. Primo Levi. or by conscious cooperation with evil in victimization of others. there is the Lager. so long as the conception subsists. the conclusion remains to threaten us. Stuart Woolf Trans. The Jesuits. Hence the inexorable movement toward genocide. increasingly desensitized to violence by violence. By definition the alien is not one of us. Hitler acted upon his own demons by projecting them onto Jews. however. Enemy love demands that we extend the boundaries of love across the abyss of fear. If this is a Man. that ‘every stranger is an enemy. homosexuals. one of the most acute observers of the Holocaust and a survivor of the death camps. Ltd.. communists. our wild beasts. gypsies. p. at the end of the chain. Here is the product of a conception of the world carried rigorously to its logical conclusion. The alien is the ideal scapegoat. differences become our recognition of the image of God in so many forms that they become living testaments to God’s boundless love of life so various and without end that we stand in awe of Deity so hopelessly in love with life. Antique religion used the scapegoat. Yet this Jesuit priest of a conservative order in a class-driven country at that particular time provided us with a psalm in praise of utter glorious diversity and love of all life. Fear causes our projection. and does not lie at the base of a system of reason. more or less wittingly. loving only our neighbor comes to mind. we move from individual subjective evil and fall into the Shadow of God.’ For the most part this conviction lies deep down like some latent infection. The story of the death camps should be understood by everyone as a sinister alarm-signal. demands an ever greater. disconnected acts. we move from subjective evil to the embodiment of objective evil. then not now. love of the enemy. Violence Unveiled. world-wide depression. military in more than metaphor. then.century England was some distance from Berkeley in the 1960s. In the face of the greatest inflation the industrial world has ever known. One not of our tribe. our culture. Biblical religion is replete with examples of this phenomenon and includes references to human sacrifice that are veiled from the casual reader because of the cultural layers of metaphor that are unfamiliar to the modern reader. His difference allows us to see him as sub-human and therefore not entitled to the respect our law and our culture demand that we give our own. and his equally gifted disciple. 1987). Hitler attempted to do this in Germany in the 1930's. it betrays itself only in random. Nineteenth. when the unspoken dogma becomes the major premise in a syllogism. When projection becomes the working syllogism of a corporate actor. a national feeling of being unjustly treated by the war-guilt clause of the Versailles Treaty. and the removal forever of the very concept of the alien.from our own. were a conservative order. in order to organize a community in disintegration around the spectacle of the human sacrifice. or our gender.. Rather. or nation. By our own unconscious projection. London: Sphere Books. fear overcome through a love great enough to forgive injury. Jesus’ teaching regarding loving only those who love us. Gerard Manley Hopkins was an English Jesuit living in the nineteenth-century. René Girard. Slavs. (See the work of the brilliant Stanford cultural theorist. The alien. the sacrificial victim. Pied Beauty Glory be to God for dappled things--
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. Fear is the real enemy. The community. Normally. noted this movement from individual acts of scapegoating to genocidal holocaust: Many people--many nations--can find themselves holding. and instead project them into another. vicious but singular acts.

And all trades. Throughout. N. The Nonviolent Coming of God. Landscape plotted and pieced--fold. He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change: Praise him. in abundance sufficient not simply to fill the earth. restoring sight to the blind.Y. fallow. in sermons. original. Jesus. to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. finches’ wings. Similarly. Jesus revealed his purpose." and an enemy love that reveals the alien as neighbor. slow." He started to read from the Isaiah scroll and found the message he wanted: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. sweet. Whatever is fickle. This is the "new law" given by Jesus before his Passion: that we love each other as he loved us. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind." (See James W. Jesus told him that no one could see the Kingdom of God unless he was "born from above. he revealed both compassion for the particular person or situation before him. The teachings and the life of Jesus demonstrate what that might be. and in the recorded conduct of his own life." Some writers have interpreted this as primarily reflecting Jesus’ humanity. eating and drinking with the outcasts of society. avoiding the harsh brittleness of the law. Jim Douglass has suggested that one translation of this term might be "The Human Being. sister. and also a profound perception of the numinosity of his mission in the foundation of the Kingdom of God. compassion and reverence that we fulfill our creation in God’s image. 1991) That is. healing love integrating both soul and community. the way beyond the world of the scapegoat and subjective evil is through non-judgment. curing lepers. At the beginning of his ministry. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the gospel writers relate acts of healing the sick. teacher. as Son of Man. miracles. their gear and tackle and trim. a consciousness sufficient to withdraw our projections. attempted to reveal the nature of God’s kingdom.For skies of couple-color as a brinded cow. strange. (Lk. worshiping in the synagogue. dim. As has been noted. He was the compassionate teacher." Nicodemus revealed
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.Gerard Manley Hopkins 1844-1889 We sense the presence of a God crazily. Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls. even raising the dead and calming nature’s winds and waves. but also revealed larger truths from the particular circumstance. an ever-expanding definition of "neighbor. -. where he had grown up. Douglass. Finally. spare. adazzle. and plough. Jesus’ life became the supreme example of human potential. demonstrating compassion rather than judgment toward sinners. a central idea around which the gospel writers organized the story of the ministry of Jesus was the Kingdom of God. freckled (who knows how?) With swift. For the Christian then. for rose moles all in stipple upon trout that swim. sour. Maryknoll." who came to Jesus at night to avoid society’s censure. some his divinity. because he has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. Jesus understood his mission as revealing the potential of humanity: to live with such truth. To Nicodemus. but brimful and overflowing to fill the Cosmos. healings. self. "as was his custom. a "leader of the Jews. parables. All things counter. He began in Nazareth. passionately in love with life: life infinitely diverse. He combined at once the earthy reality of the particular human circumstance before him. : Orbis. brother. while he was accorded many titles by others such as rabbi. to let the oppressed go free. the messiah and Son of God. Jesus usually referred to himself as the "Son of Man. 4:16-19) From that point. being whole and complete.

They asked. but for the food that endures for eternal life. For it is on Him that God the Father has set His Seal. and with solemn eucharistic meaning. you have no bucket. the son of a royal official in Capernaum. but it was my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. as it is written. And that "no one has ascended to heaven except the one who descended from heaven.. or Son of Man. I tell you. "for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son." (Jn. He replied that if she knew whom she was addressing. so must the Son of Man be lifted up. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the eucharistic meal. After feeding them all.Very truly. and forward to his own crucifixion. Jesus saw their terror and told them simply. but simply wanted more bread: "Do not work for the food that perishes." (Jn. "do not be afraid. but at the same time the symbolism chosen by Jesus at once reaches back to the acts of God announced by Moses to Israel.. so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. A Samaritan woman came to draw water from a well and Jesus asked for a drink. 4:46-54) Later. (Jn. Jesus returns to Cana. This is the bread that comes down from heaven. she was surprised and asked how it was that he would ask water of a Samaritan woman. Now. where the first miracle had occurred at a wedding feast where Mary importuned Jesus to deal with an absence of wine. for the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. When Jesus saw that the people were going to attempt to force him to be their King. Five thousand people were there. The crowds. to the Last Supper. where a new challenge frightened the people. The people saw this as a sign that Jesus was the Messiah." Jesus was concerned for their need of food." The crowd responded that "our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness." (Jn. and the well is deep. 6:25-53)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and now in what would become a Christian companion testament. and the disciples had only five barley loaves and two fish. and Jesus declared : I am the bread of life. "sir. when did you come here?" Jesus responded that they did not really comprehend the momentous sign that they just experienced. Since social relations were usually not had between Jews and Samaritans. unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. he withdrew again to the mountain while the disciples put to sea towards Capernaum.complete yet human misunderstanding: can anyone once again enter his mother’s womb? Jesus responded that his disciples would be born not only of water but the spirit as well. the crowds of people finally found Jesus again. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. Then the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. Where do you get the living water?" Jesus replied: "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. hearing of the healings." They asked for such bread. 4:39) The actions of Jesus here and in the events following reveal his immediate response to people as the Human Being. John records events in his Judean ministry. the Christian sacrament. 4:7-14) John records that Jesus stayed for a time with them and that "many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony. and the bread that I will give for the life of world is My flesh. but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. "Rabbi. she would ask of him "living water. became so large that Jesus and his disciples went up a mountain in retreat. As was God’s message so often in the Hebrew bible . the Son of Man. Jesus heals a young boy near death. . A storm arose and still Jesus had not joined them by boat. she responded . so that one may eat it and not die. Large crowds "still followed. He then began to distribute the loves and fishes until all were fed." On the other side of the sea. Jesus instructed the disciples to tell the people to sit down." And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. the origin of the Mass. Jesus is healing many sick people near the Sea of Galilee. and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. which the Son of Man will give you. ‘He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.. you have no life in you. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. Jesus responded by changing water to the most rich wine. the fragments of the loaves were gathered into twelve baskets. (Jn. ." With complete incomprehension. 3: 1-16) While the synoptic writers emphasize Jesus’ ministry in Galilee..’" Jesus responded: "It was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. and a brief time in Samaria.

you are Peter. Peter responded. and on the third day be raised. and from the cloud a voice said." (Matt." (Matt.. they did not understand what they were seeing or hearing. "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. 20:20-28)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. miracles." Jesus "called a child. it is good for us to be here. and teachings.." (Mk. and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. with him I am well pleased. compassionate teachings of Jesus lay ahead. But increasingly a sense of foreboding gripped the disciples." (Matt. whom he put among them. "out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water. and his face shone like the sun. At this time. the synoptic writers record that Jesus told them openly what was ahead. Moses and Elijah. Peter’s confession of faith seems to mark the turning point. the disciples "fell to the ground" in fear. Later... "he was transfigured before them.At this point in Jesus’ ministry. and to give his life as ransom for many." Then quoting scripture fulfilled in himself. Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you. 18:1-3) Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive a sin against him "by another member of the church. 9:2-3) "Suddenly there appeared ... the Son of the living God. ‘Truly I tell you. 18:21-22) When the mother of James and John asked Jesus that they be allowed to sit on his right and left. by themselves. He would lead no armed revolt against Roman occupation. as Jesus heads for Jerusalem and death." Jesus’ reply looked forward to a time beyond crucifixion and resurrection: "Blessed are you. James and John to a "high mountain. "suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. they would remember and comprehend. listen to him!’" At this. You are the Holy One of God. 6:68-69) Jesus then left Galilee to travel to Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Booths. The Zealot alternative would not be followed: "From that time on. "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me. 16:13-18) After this. BUT NOT ALTERED
. he asks His disciples if they understand who he is. Then Peter said to Jesus.. "just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.. talking with him. ‘This is my Son. 16:21) Six days later. On the last day of the festival. or Elijah. but my Father in Heaven. 9:28-36) Between the Transfiguration and the week of Jesus’ Passion. and on this rock I will build my church. Again when faced with numinosity so holy that humans could not comprehend. "but who do you say I am?" Peter responds: "You are the Messiah. as he would later demonstrate with one of his last acts—washing the disciples’ feet—that those who would be greatest must be the servant of others. and said.. and let the one who believes in me drink. 17:1-9) (See also Lk. he returned again to the central fact of his ministry and to the symbol so integrally related: the crucifixion and resurrection and the paschal meal. unless you change and become like children. Jesus replied. ‘Lord. in sermons and stories. and his clothes became dazzling white. some say you are John the Baptist." Jesus then ordered them. but I tell you. or some other of the prophets. Jeremiah. you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.. in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matt. seventy-seven times. "not seven times. the gospel writers record many healings. Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering. "Lord. 7:37-39) Some of the most exquisite. "such as no one on earth could bleach them. the Beloved." While Peter was still speaking. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Jn." There. They respond. many people left Jesus for such a difficult teaching." (Matt. and be killed." (Jn. Jesus said "do not be afraid.. Jesus received affirmation for what impended from his Father. To the question "who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus then said. At Caesarea Philippi. And I tell you.’.’" (Matt." Mark adds. to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. Jesus asked the twelve if they too would leave. As many as seven times?" Jesus replied. Jesus took Peter.

himself or his parents." Jesus said. the poor. 19:13-26) To one who wanted to follow Jesus. 9:61-62) (Jesus had exemplified the same severe single-mindedness to his own ministry at its beginning. He said his mother and his brothers and sisters. who was the neighbor to the wounded man and the lawyer replied." Jesus agreed. The young man left Jesus. hearing music and dancing. celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life. Now what do you say?" Jesus did not immediately respond but continued to write "with his finger on the ground." Jesus replied "let the dead bury their own dead. the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman before him: "teacher. "with all your heart. Before. but "let me first say farewell to those at home. go and proclaim the Kingdom of God. The good shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one who is lost. 8:1-11) Jesus then spoke to the people.. Once it is found. The lawyer fell victim to an occupational disease and asked one too many questions: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied with one of the most riveting parables of the New Testament.Jesus gave a number of teachings and parables on the cost of discipleship. He was passed by a priest and a Levite and was finally given succor by a Samaritan. and your neighbor as yourself. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. Realizing his pitiful state and his mistake." (Lk. sorrowfully." Jesus said. Jesus saw a man "blind from birth. Jesus told him there was one thing more he must do: sell all he had and give to the poor. But the father places his robe and his ring upon his son and orders servants to kill the fatted calf: "for this son of mine was dead and is alive again." (Lk. objects that no such attention marked his long years of fidelity to his father. I tell you. A man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho fell into the hands of robbers and was left nearly dead." (Jn. To the rich young man who had kept the law. 15:3-7) The prodigal younger son demands his inheritance from the father and leaves both father and older brother for a life. 10:25-42) Jesus faced constant censure from the social and religious leadership by associating intimately with taxcollectors. and one that possesses the Pauline overtones that would later shape the church. carried out with earthy sensuality. Now he said." (Lk. the great teacher moved from archetypal metaphor to a homely vital individual circumstance. Jesus said that it "is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God. beginning with the elders. he was lost and has been found. when his family asked to speak with him during a sermon to the disciples. of profligacy and sin. were all those who followed his own discipleship to God." (Matt. Jesus asked the lawyer in return..’ Just so. In response he told perhaps the two most beloved parables in scripture: the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son. The father says "you are always with me and all that is mine is yours. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. for I have found my sheep that was lost." The elder son. and sinners of every stripe: the marginalized of society." (Lk. "no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God. despised by the Jews as being of mixed blood and who worshiped God in a debased form of an earlier truth. The lawyer replied that one must love God. "‘rejoice with me. Jesus put the question back to one who already knew the law. "I am the light of the world. he had called himself the Bread of Life. to account for
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. 8:12) Then. he returns. and offers to work as his father’s hired hand. But we . "he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. but as for you. faraway. and with all your soul. "the one who showed him mercy. but will have the light of life. he calls his friends and says." Jesus then continued to write on the ground. "Go and do likewise. as the people "went away. "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. and with all your strength and with all your mind. consistently throughout John’s gospel. but said "first let me go and bury my father. he said." (Jn. BUT NOT ALTERED
." (Lk." When they continued to demand his judgment. this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. he was lost and is found. 9:59-60) To another who had said he would follow Jesus." The disciples asked who sinned.) To the lawyer who asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life. prostitutes. one by one." And when home. water springing up to eternal life. 15:11-32) When Jesus was teaching in the temple. now.

12:20-29) Some of the crowd said that an angel had spoken." all nations will be gathered. one shepherd.I am the good Shepherd.." (Matt. . BUT NOT ALTERED
. if these were silent.. Jesus responded. While you have the light. Jesus told them that not even the angels of God knew that. I lay down my life for the sheep." Then he "spat upon the ground and made mud with saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. And what should I say— ‘Father. just as the father knows me and I know the Father. Some spread their cloaks on the road. is reflected in the fact that John devotes one half of his gospel to this final week. in fulfillment of scripture.such grief. (Jn. I was thirsty and you gave me. Walk while you have the light. you that are blessed of my father. 10:116) The time had come for the culmination of the ministry of Jesus. so that the darkness may not overtake you." (Jn. 21:1-9) Luke records that some Pharisees in the crowd said.. Jesus told the crowd. wash in the pool of Siloam. so that you may become the children of the light. "The light is with you for a little longer. ‘go.. and all the angels with him.’ (Jn. believe in the light.’" The man complied and could see.. the night is coming when no one can work. and they will listen to my voice. . and will come in and go out and find pasture. it is for this reason I have come to this hour.. glorify your name. backward to the psalms. So there will be one flock. saying to him. when I am lifted up from the earth. perhaps particularly the one most treasured.. it bears much fruit.. and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. the stones would shout out. . Father. "I am the gate for the sheep. I am the light of the world. "neither this man nor his parents. as a testimony to all the nations : and then the end will come. but if it dies. Now my soul is troubled. we must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. the twenty-third psalm ("The Lord is my Shepherd. "Then the King will say to those on his right hand. there would be wars and earthquakes but they should not be concerned. with profound resonance through time.. save me from this hour? No.’ Then a voice came from the heaven. I must bring them also. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was in prison and you
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Large crowds had gathered. I was sick and you took care of me. . 19:39-40) That the Passion week was the centerpoint of Jesus’ ministry.. "Teacher. and I will glorify it again. The Passover was near. Jesus told them: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Jesus entered the city upon a young donkey. Those who love their life will lose it. 12:3236) When the disciples more fully understood that he would be taken.. . they asked of his return. As long as I am in the world. drink. Finally. order your disciples to stop.. will draw all people to myself. inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘come." and "they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. while others "cut branches form the trees and spread them on the road.Whoever enters by me will be saved." (Matt. . unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies." The crowds went before him shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (Matt.. "and I. it remains just a single grain. Paul.") and forward to fulfillment in the ministry of St. "the good news of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world. I was naked and you gave me clothing. John records that Philip and Andrew brought Greeks to see Jesus. Jesus spoke of the sheep fold." To which Jesus replied. in anticipation of his coming. He places some of the greatest of Jesus’ teachings within this final time. "I tell you. ‘I have glorified it. 9:1-7) Then.. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. .. I know my own and my own know me. 24:14) The "sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.." (Lk.. 24:30) Matthew records a prophesied final judgment "when the Son of Man comes in his glory. . Jesus said." Some in the crowd objected that the Messiah was to stay forever as earthly king." (Jn.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Matthew says: "while they were eating. Just as I have loved you." forecasting Peter’s crucifixion. said Jesus. Jesus took a loaf of bread.. you cannot follow me now but you will follow afterward. 13:1) Jesus at some point got up from the table.. you also should love one another. and do not let them be afraid. 13:31-36) Jesus told the disciples." (Jn. knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. for this is my blood of the covenant. I give you a new commandment. This is my commandment. How can we know the way?" Jesus said: "I am the way. ‘Take. and remind you of all that I have said to you. Philip . now you are speaking plainly. "Lord where are you going?" Jesus answered. gave it to his disciples.. and when it was they served. but later you will understand." He will "teach you everything." Then. Peter protested: "Lord. (Jn. "yes." Jesus assured Peter that this cleansing was sufficient. we do not know where you are going. 14:15-27) Jesus called himself the True Vine and the disciples the branches. that you love one another. saying." Jesus said. eat. "Unless I wash you. not found in the synoptic gospels: "Little children. if you have love for one another." (Jn. your Lord and Teacher. where I am going." The disciples said. all of you. and after giving thanks he gave it to them. abide in my love. are you going to wash my feet? You will never wash my feet. you have no share with me. the Spirit of Truth: "you know him. which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. again. and will be in you. that you love one another as I have loved you. he loved them to the end." Phillip responded. "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord-. in Rome. "As The Father has loved me. I am leaving the world and am going to the Father. for that is what I am. as early Christian tradition attests. "Have I been with you all this time. "the disciple whom Jesus loved. I tell you. not in any figure of speech!" (Jn. ." put water in a basin and began washing his disciples’ feet." recorded great sayings of Jesus during the Last Supper. "And the King will answer them. and said." (Jn.. "Lord. .and you are right.. this is my body. 13:3-14) John. you also ought to wash one another’s feet. and the truth." He promised to send the Holy Spirit. and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. you did it to me. just as you did it to one of least of these who are members of my family. you will look for me. "Lord. show us the Father and we will be satisfied. and the life. I will never
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. "Lord." With that utterly transparent impetuousness that endeared him to the Lord and the millions of disciples through the centuries. ." (Jn. and after blessing it he broke it. So if I. I am in the Father and the Father is in me. The New Jerusalem Bible records John’s testimony with great beauty: "Before the festival of the Passover. 14: 1-10) Jesus then told the disciples.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. since he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord. Jesus. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples. "In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. not my feet only but also my hands and head. at his request." Thomas said. ‘Truly I tell you. My peace I give to you. have washed your feet." (Matt. "tied a towel around himself.’ Then he took a cup." (Jn. "I will not leave you orphaned." He told them he was going to prepare a place for them and would return later to "take you to myself." Jesus said. ‘Drink from it. because he abides with you. I am with you only a little longer. you cannot come. No one comes to the Father except through me. You do not know what I am doing. 15:1-13) He told them: "I came from the Father and have come into the world." Peter asked. 16: 28-29) The synoptic gospels record the final meal together. to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Peter then exclaimed. having loved those who were his in the world..visited me. 25:31-46) Now the centerpiece of the kairos moment had come. the righteous will ask when he was so afflicted. No one has greater love than this. .. "where I am going. Peace I leave with you. but upside down.

" The Apology of Tertullian (American ed. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly. 26:47-54). The glory you have given me I have given them. yet. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Erdmans Publishing Co. protect them in your name that you have given me. concluded from this passage: "the Lord afterward in disarming Peter unbelted every soldier. Jesus told them: "I am deeply grieved even to death. not what I want but what you want. Jesus took the disciples to "a place called Gethsemane. 22:51) Jesus instructed Peter to sheath his sword: "Put your sword back into its place." (Jn. Then. I in them and you in me. When he was asked whether he claimed to be the Messiah. 17:11) Then the great prayer asks blessings on all disciples through the centuries who believe in Christ on the testimony of those direct witnesses: "I ask not only on behalf of these. John’s testament records the last great sermon of Christ: The Intercessory Prayer. that they may be completely one. Michigan: William B. so that they may be one. Before Pilate." Three times. Father.’" (Matt. the Prayer of the Great High Priest: "Father." and "went out to the Mount of Olives. James and John apart and asked them in turn. which say it must happen this way?" (Matt." Here. so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Buffalo. he said: "Abba. John connects this near-ending of his gospel with the soaring cosmic beginning: Jesus as Creator of all that is. 17:20-23) At the Mount of Olives. that they may be one.’" (Jn. remove this cup from me. may they also be in us. reprint." "On Idolatry. The soldiers approached to seize Jesus. and John alone identifies Peter as the disciple who had a sword and struck the "high priest’s slave." where he told the disciples to wait while he prayed.. So now. A second-century Christian leader in North Africa. and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling on the ground.. Father. and I am coming to you. glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word. for you all things are possible ." Finding the disciples "sleeping because of the grief. as we are one. yet finding no fault with him. followed a flogging from the soldiers. The only True God. 22:43-45) Judas identified Jesus with the betrayer’s kiss. and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom. "you say that I am. 26:30) At this point. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. and the next morning before the assembly of the elders.1969) Jesus was taken at night to the home of Caiaphas. but they are in the world." he woke them as Judas approached with the soldiers and with police from the chief priests. literally." Going further. 23:70) From this they concluded he was worthy of death for blasphemy." (Lk. He "began to be distressed and agitated. Luke records that Jesus said "‘no more of this!’ and he touched his ear and healed him. (Lk. for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. are in me and I am in you. Holy Father. he would "at once send more than twelve legions of angels. Jesus was taken to be crucified. This is eternal life. and turned Jesus over to be crucified. the leaders charged Jesus with treason in claiming to be "the King of the Jews." cutting off his ear. As you. Grand Rapids.." Then he took Peter.. to wait while he prayed. so that they may be one. Father. he returned to the three disciples only to find them asleep. ." He told the disciples that if he asked his Father. the high priest. (Matt.. . 1886.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Jesus responded. Jesus now prays for the disciples who will be left to continue the work: "And now I am no longer in the world. 26:36-45)He returned to prayer. God’s Son. Tertullian.’" (Matt. that they may know you. 26 :26-29) The synoptics record that at that moment Jesus and the disciples "sung the hymn. Pilate washed his hands of the matter. Luke records that "an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. ." After faltering attempts to release Jesus and being unsuccessful in sending him to Herod to deal with the matter. the hour has come: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." (Lk. Luke reports that Simon of Cyrene was seized and forced to carry Jesus’ cross to a place called The Skull." But "would the scriptures be fulfilled.

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts. New York: Crossroad. 23:46) Then Jesus died. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings. Take away from me the noise of your songs. 23:47) As Rene Girard and Gil Bailee have observed." indicating John." (Acts 7:60) A dialogue between the thieves led one to exclaim. The first Christian martyr. (Jn. This demon must finally be exorcized by the refusal of Jesus to perpetuate violence. cease to do evil. BUT NOT ALTERED
. or of lambs. and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals. at this particular point. Jesus’ mother. Now the memetic addiction had to be ended with an act of self-sacrifice. ‘Father. your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates. railed at his executioners. why have you forsaken me?’" (Matt. incense is an abomination to me . remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes. said. Eli lema sabachthani?’ Which is." (Lk. or of goats. 13... instead. Amos attacked sacrificial offerings. I will hide my hands from you. 19: 25-27) Jesus said. Stephen. Isaiah saw the same vision: What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord. made precisely at the moment of death. Jesus was crucified between two thieves. would do precisely the same thing. the memetic effect of violence demanding more violence was snapped. plead for the widow. Jesus lived and died in such a manner that his teachings against violence were incarnated. he praised God and said. make yourselves clean. "Woman. ‘certainly this man was innocent. allowed the memetic compulsion of reciprocal violence to be broken. His obvious purity did not allow successful projection. "My God. 19: 2829) The synoptic gospels record Jesus crying with a loud voice." (Lk. 23-34) This statement of forgiveness. the profound impact of the crucifixion— the atonement— would have been obscured. When you come to appear before me. 15-17)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. I will not listen. Hence the immunity of the centurion to the memetic compulsion. into your hands I commend my spirit. for they do not know what they are doing. When you stretch out your hands. who asked this of your hand? Trample my courts no more. When the centurion walked away convinced that Jesus was an innocent man." and received a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch. forgive them. seek justice. even though you make many prayers. And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. defend the orphan.. 23:42-43) John reports that Mary. I will not accept them. here is your son. learn to do good.. though fair in the sense of proportionality. do not hold this sin against them. And to John he said." To which Jesus replied. Violence Unveiled. I do not delight in the blood of bulls. 1995) Jesus had taught that an eye for an eye. Jesus rejected this. "It is finished. "today you will be with me in Paradise. 19:30) "Then Jesus. or even defended the injustice of his death.. never far from an earlier stench of human sacrifice: I hate. remember me when you come into your Kingdom. rescue the oppressed.’" (Lk. my God. for him a least. I will not look upon." (Jn. (See. and Mary Magdalene were standing near the cross. with Saul listening : "Lord. Luke records immediately thereafter a seemingly incidental occurrence that is in reality of profound significance: "when the centurion saw what had taken place. I will not listen to the melody of your harps. "‘Eli. and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.. "here is your mother. and had to be stopped by absorbing violence in a non-violent response. Had Jesus. Now. But let justice roll down like waters. in a deadly neverending cycle. "Jesus. the initiation of sacred violence to organize society around the death of a victim was at the center of antique religion. and by the teachings of prophets before him. (Isa 1:11. Gil Bailee." (Jn. "I am thirsty." (Lk. 27:46) He then said. By his teachings. your hands are full of blood. was nonetheless violence imitating violence. He uttered several words from the cross: "Father. . with "the disciple whom Jesus loved.There. I despise your festivals and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. his mother’s sister. Wash yourselves. crying with a loud voice." Jesus said to his mother. bringing offerings is futile.

But the angel said to the women. suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. Now. ‘Do not be afraid. and said to them." The terrified women prostrated themselves before the emissaries. quoting Van Beek) As Bailee notes. the concept of sin could not be forgiven. As through Abraham. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified." before they ran with his message to the other disciples. He has been raised from the dead. at early morning. was undercut at its root." (Matt." placed the body in "his own new tomb. In this sense. 28:1-7) Matthew then records Jesus’ meeting with the women. and we do not know where they have laid him. Rather. taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (with obvious parallel to Moses. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.217) Then came the empty tomb. the entire concept of sacrifice to appease a vengeful God. came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. BUT NOT ALTERED
. or erased. a disciple of Jesus. the implications of Jesus’ crucifixion would be most powerfully perceived and transmitted. and had been persecuting Christians in the belief that he was thereby serving both justice (the Law) and God. She ran and told Peter and the other disciple. there you will see him. or mass slaughter of blood feud. now brought a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare the body for burial. God incarnate gives his life not to appease his Father. by limiting violence to a few.’ (Matt. 185-200. the very obliteration. for reconciliation with God. before they present themselves at the alter. one vital aspect of what remains the ultimate mystery of the Christian faith. but simply moved to another person. Jehovah moved ancient religion up from human sacrifice. avoided the potential chaos of social frenzy. and his clothing white as snow. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. But with the profound realization of Paul." (Lk. who said words that would echo through time: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. as he said: come. Instead. the reluctant inquirer who had "approached Jesus by night" to ask about the Kingdom of God. and "did not find the body. humanity would be challenged ever after to replace law and violence with a far more demanding commandment of love. (See. He is not here. "while it was still dark." and "rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb. and worshiped him. however paradoxical at first thought. now the eucharistic table. as one who had practiced sacrificial religion as a devout believer. is that Jesus presents himself as a sacrifice to reconcile humanity with themselves. human or otherwise. Sinai and the reception of the Law). in particular. through renunciation of violence moved the disciples from the "violence of their justice. Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" went to the tomb. and now incarnated by Jesus in the crucifixion. to a sacramental surrogate. of offense and sin. the "new" law of self-sacrificial love. Joseph of Arimathea. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. God gives his life to end the capacity of the community any longer to restore social order by taking the life of the sacrificial victim." and saw the stone removed from the entrance.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. His appearance was like lightning. pp. often sporadic but occasionally manifest in the form of mass slaughter. and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee.Bailee notes that in antique religion. 24:1-5) John records another remembrance. for an angel of the Lord. see the place where he lay. 19:39) On Sunday. for he has been raised. Joseph wrapped the body in "a clean linen cloth. a ram in the thicket. or people. Jesus’ public execution consummated his public ministry and "launched the Christian movement. now Jesus. who "took hold of his feet. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb on the first day of the week. the epistles of Paul to the Galatians and the Romans) Now. ‘they have taken the Lord out of the tomb. "the one whom Jesus loved (John). Religious sacramental sacrifice. "while they were perplexed about this. obtained Pilate’s permission to take the body of Jesus. descending from heaven. and the forgiveness. would begin millennia of deconstruction of the efficacy of violence to maintain social order or cohesion. or a non-human animal as scapegoat." (See Bailee. (Jn." Then. or even to right the scales of justice." (p.’" Peter and "the other disciple" ran to the tomb and Peter. 27:57-60) John’s gospel records that Nicodemus. Luke says the women first found the stone rolled away from the tomb. by Jesus’ self-sacrifice. but has risen. after the Sabbath.

and "they gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate in their presence. where the disciples had gone fishing. Then Peter recognized Jesus: "It is the Lord!" He clothed himself. that he must rise from the dead.’ He then asked if they had anything to eat. he had told them that he would make them fishers of men. "He saw the linen wrappings lying there.. you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished.. the disciples did not recognize the risen Lord. She said that the body of Jesus had been taken and she didn’t know "where they have laid him." Thomas." (Lk. in a locked room. At first. "children. to my God and your God. and I will take him away. 20:11-17) John then records others of many appearances of Jesus to the disciples during the forty days of his postresurrection ministry. Jesus stood on the beach and said. she bent over to look into the tomb. having been fishing naked. and thought that they were seeing a ghost. and she saw two angels in white. Each time Jesus said." Jesus said. "Mary!" Mary exclaimed.characteristically." They asked why she wept. now three times he asked Peter if he loved the Lord. with Thomas absent.. caught so many fish that they could barely bring in the net. As the Father has sent me. he blessed them. They built a charcoal fire and ate fish and bread. who invited him to "put your finger here and see my hands. and as before. and said .. Do not doubt but believe. just as he had done before his death and resurrection. Just after sunrise. he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. "peace be with you!" He showed them his hands and feet and again said "peace be with you. and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet.’ They were startled and terrified. see that it is I myself. ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father." The last time." John records that this was said to indicate Peter’s later crucifixion. Each time Peter declared his love. ‘Peace be with you. swimming toward Jesus. for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. because I have not yet ascended to my Father." The "other disciple" then went in "and he saw and believed. you have no fish. "Do not hold on to me. have you?" He directed them where to place their nets. ‘Why are you frightened.’" (Jn. They cast in their nets." (Lk. 24:44-51) John records appearances of Jesus to the disciples in Galilee. sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying. As she wept. not lying with the wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ‘Thus it is written. the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled. Mary stood weeping "outside the tomb. Jesus himself stood among them. Jesus said to her.. and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations. But go to my brothers and say to them. and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. so I send you. As before. for as yet they did not understand the scripture. you will stretch out your hands.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. burst in as the other disciple peered inside. "feed my sheep. 20:1-10) After the two men had returned to their homes. and jumped into the sea.. He said to them. While they were talking about this." (Jn.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. tell me where . "lifting up his hands. "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). saying. witnessed a similar appearance of Jesus. not previously present. 24:36-43)
He then told them that "‘everything written about me in the law of Moses. BUT NOT ALTERED
. but supposed him to be the gardener: "Sir. touch me and see. one at the head and the other at the feet." (Jn. by the sea of Tiberias. and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you when you do not to wish to go. While he was blessing them." He walked with them as far as Bethany and. 20:19-28) The palpability of the resurrected Lord is sensually recorded by Luke in describing these appearances. But when you grow old. Jesus added: "when you were younger. that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day." Then she turned and saw Jesus. and he said to them. if you have carried him away. He appears to the disciples. but with the disciples a week later..

. They said. who has been taken up from you into heaven.’" (Acts 1:6-11) The Church Remember that you were at that time without Christ. and has broken down the dividing wall between us. throughout time. "he is risen. offered the one alternative to perpetual violence until humanity and creation are extinguished..The empty tomb deprived Christians of memetic violence: reciprocal vengeance inspired by the body of a victim of violence.. they would be fishers of humankind. you who once were far off have been brought near. At the conclusion of Jesus’ teachings to the disciples following his resurrection.. . Always. There is no longer slave nor free. finally empowered by the transcendent promise of eternal life. But there must have been some considerable confusion until. healing love. Their confusion. The resurrection offered the transcendent power to break the memetic addictive power of violence to respond to violence and violence in return. Nonviolence. Crusades and inquisitions. he responded briefly to their questions as to the time and the manner when he would restore the Kingdom. And though largely beyond the scope
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.. he was lifted up.. there is no longer male nor female. and reflective inwardness and repentance at huge corporate mistake. from the two on the road to Emmaus (Lk.. was manifest throughout the growth of the church in the first century. 2:12-19 There is no longer Jew nor Greek.. gradually. 24:13-35) to appearances to over five hundred people. suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. however. The empty tomb and the final Christian exclamation. and the "new law" of redemptive. and a cloud took him out of their sight. And then. The empty tomb and the resurrected Lord offer the way out of a never-ending spiral of violence. pondering how these teachings are to be applied in radically different times and circumstances. promised by Jesus to the disciples to aid their remembrance of his words and actions. Eph. They evinced some reflective understanding in the dialogue with Jesus and amongst themselves during Jesus’ resurrection ministry. Jesus concluded his forty-day post-resurrection ministry with the same awesome approbation as he received from God at the beginning of his ministry. there are the words and ministry of Jesus to reflect upon anew. recorded the incomprehension of the disciples of many of the acts and words of Jesus during his ministry. . ‘Men of Galilee. The story of the growth of the church is and has been since the first century a movement ever outward and inward. being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. "holy war" and "just war." are thereby seen as oxymoronic. despair and bewilderment must have been nearly complete at his death and before the resurrection. with opening to new frontiers of gospel propagation.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Now. Gandhi noted that only Christians could miss the meaning of the crucifixion and resurrection." remain the subversive solvent to institutional violence spawned by religion or by the nation-states.. 3: 28 Each of the gospel writers. . but you are citizens with the saints and . Gal. "when he had said this as they were watching. why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus.. dissolving all legitimacy from both sacred violence of antique religion and its state-sanctioned secular equivalent. You are no longer strangers or aliens. reflecting back upon their initial call to ministry from Jesus. Luke continues his gospel story in the Acts of the Apostles. After his death and before their full understanding of the resurrection. . misunderstanding. The Holy Spirit. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven. . but particularly the author of John’s gospel. members of the household of God. After many appearances of Jesus. the flash of light into their meaning in particular situations. will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.. and sin.. For he is our peace.. the disciples simply returned to their fishing nets. and to provide the piercing insight. according to Paul. But now. that he might create in himself one new humanity. and strangers to the covenant. and then at one decisive moment—Pentecost— they received direction on their course of action without Jesus’ physical presence.

just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal.of this essay. Peter took center stage. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name." (Acts 2:1) Earlier. but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. was the manifestation in visions and dreams of the Spirit of God. as the Spirit gave them ability. to revelatory climactic movement toward gentile Christianity through Peter and overpoweringly. "they were all together in one place. says the Lord. The movement. says the Lord. 23:23-29)
It would be too simple to say the church began after Jesus’ ministry and ascension. "devoting themselves to prayer." were meeting regularly. Existing biblical text. The whole story of the book of the Acts of the Apostles might just as well be entitled "the Acts of the Holy Spirit. I have dreamed!" How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies. Clearly. from Jesus’ birth and ministry. but as God’s son. at the time of the selection of Matthias. Jesus did not simply present himself as another teacher of lofty moral principles. Night dreams and palpable visions during consciousness in the light of day characterized this time. "suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind. We would err if we attempted to dismiss the miraculous. We might also err if we mistook every dream or psychic event we experience as our being touched by God. chapters 14-16). Jewish tradition said the Law was given seven weeks after Passover. the outward expansion of the church from Jerusalem and its environs. He quoted the prophet Joel:
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Jesus ordained apostles. the continuation of Luke’s gospel in the Acts of the Apostles has this dual theme." (Acts 2:1-4) Luke records that "devout Jews from every nation under heaven" were present at Pentecost and each person heard the disciples preach of Jesus in his or her own tongue. pastoral spiritual guidance. through the gradual and in a sense accidental. and rationality-. Pentecost. and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the Lord. First. though the relation between the two is not necessarily simple. "I have dreamed.God-given no less than the gift of our spiritual senses.conscious mission on the part of the disciples. Do I not fill heaven and earth? Says the Lord. But the ascension of Jesus and the replacement of Judas with Matthias marked a particular point of self. our own traditional norms and moral conduct. throughout the ministry of Jesus and before that surrounding his birth. caused by the exodus of Jewish Christians to Antioch and other communities. saying. Jeremiah said: Am I a God nearby. Peter said that these matters are not to be understood with finality by private interpretation. and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell another. the transcendent. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream. appeared among them. through Paul. including Mary the mother of Jesus. A neurotic experience is not a spiritual event. The second theme in this story—which existed most powerfully before. Is not my word like fire. On this day. Divided tongues." as promised by Jesus before his death (revealed with such eloquence in John’s gospel. to the good news spreading throughout the entire Mediterranean world. and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. and a tongue rested on each of them. including "certain women. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages. as well as his brothers. Then. or from the foundation and the continuation of the church. as of fire. the serendipitous introduction of the gospel message to gentiles. or more likely. all are anchor-points of check. Other offices in a growing community existed during Jesus’ mortal ministry. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. the tradition of the church. and like a hammer that breaks a rock to pieces? (Jer. (Acts 1:12-26) Then came Pentecost. the ministry would continue. that same promise extended to the disciples through every century that followed. Luke recorded that the disciples." This group presumably were meeting in accordance with Jesus’ instruction that they return to Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

seized him to stone him to death. certain of a particular synagogue plotted his death. Before a large congregation. BUT NOT ALTERED
." The two apostles prayed for those newly baptized Samaritan Christians. who must have heard Stephen’s witness. While some would have been expelled from synagogue. "do you understand what you are reading?" The eunuch replied that he needed a guide. This did not seem paradoxical.. As the disciples were imprisoned. In fact. reading aloud from the prophet Isaiah." (Acts 6:7) Steps toward the radical phenomenon of gentile Christianity. And I will show portents in the heavens above and signs on the earth below. the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem." (Acts 8:9-12) This movement beyond Jewish Christian orthodoxy was sufficiently surprising to church leadership that when the apostles in Jerusalem. a disciple "full of grace and power. were occurring. "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God!" (Acts 6:54) Then. God declares. Stephen said. and your old men shall dream dreams. Evangelizing these people." (Acts 6:8) Fearing his power.. and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. institutionally. and the answer to the question. Luke records that "the word of God continued to spread. Still. Christianity remained a sect within Judaism. they "proclaimed the good news to many of the villages of the Samaritans.. that wrenching schism. 8:1) This began a persecution of Jewish Christians such that many fled Jerusalem. remained in the future. before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. They then laid hands on them "and they received the Holy Spirit. a court official of Candace." Then Luke says: "And Saul approved of their killing him. or at least movement beyond what had been. and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. but his voice and tongue were at rest. "were baptized.. and your young men shall see visions." (Acts 8:1) Philip "went to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. There. (Reading aloud was the common practice. Stephen preached a powerful sermon. Stephen. that they might receive the Holy Spirit. as his Lord before him. Stephen demonstrates that God reveals himself outside Palestine. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. both men and women. they laid their coats before a zealous Pharisee named Saul. And like Isaiah and Jeremiah. The apostles then and until they died remained observant Jews. Then "an angel of the Lord" told Philip to "go toward the south.. Luke records Stephen’s words just before his death. The passage from Isaiah said: Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter. he met "an Ethiopian eunuch." (Acts 8:26-27) "Ethiopians" were Nubians living between Aswan and Khartoum in upper Egypt.. enraged. so he does not open his
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The Spirit told Philip to go over to the chariot and listen. did great wonders and signs among the people. and was seated in his chariot. represented a partial step toward gentile Christianity. Even upon my slaves." (Acts 8:4) Jesus had preached briefly to the Samaritans. VI:3) Philip asked. they sent Peter and John . Do not hold this sin against them. receive my spirit. Some were "scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. "heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God. both men and women. believing Philip. ." to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza." (Acts 6:59-60. He invited Philip into the chariot. and like a lamb silent before his shearer. Stephen emphasizes that the real fruit of the law is reflected in a broken heart and worship is not confined to an earthly temple. Throughout his speech.. (Acts 2:14-21) Peter and the disciples thus began the ministry anew after the ascension of the Lord. . queen of the Ethiopians. angelic emissaries freed them. tracing prophetic history from Abraham and Moses through the prophets as culminating in Jesus as Messiah.. "who is my neighbor" was inexorably expanding. and now served as witness to his death.. All Christians at this time were Jews. Certain of the crowd. however. not Abyssinians. in those days I will pour out my spirit. the notion that one could be Christian and not a Jew would have been incomprehensible. not exactly Jew and not precisely gentile." (Acts 8:25) The meaning of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. however. The church grew by thousands." Confessions." (Acts 8:14-17) As Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. "Lord Jesus.In the last days it will be. Augustine was surprised to learn that Ambrose read silently: "when he was reading his eye glided over the pages and his heart searched out the sense. As they did so. that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Large numbers of Samaritans. in charge of her entire treasury.

so that "if he found any who belonged to the Way. Philip and the eunuch. until the advent of gentile Christianity. At this moment he is praying. I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. "‘Go. who asked Jesus. laying his hands on him. the truth." (Acts 22:9) Saul was blinded by the light of the vision and had to be taken by the hand into Damascus. a disciple named Ananias had a vision from the Lord: "go to the street called Straight. and would not be. went down into the water. for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel. as Paul again relates his vision of conversion. first at Antioch. were simply called followers of the Way: no doubt referring to Jesus’ response to Thomas. Paul asserts the autonomy of his call as apostle directly through Christ: "When that happened. and as he was passing through the region. and afterwards returned to Damascus. men or women. (Acts 9:17-19) In his epistle to the Galatians." Then. and went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 9:7) Later in Acts. ‘Saul. and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. The New English Bible. "how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. Luke records that. incidentally." (Acts 9:13-16) Ananias did as directed. death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." He was baptized immediately and took food for the first time since the vision. Lord?’" The reply came. the eunuch saw him no more. Press. 1970)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Luke records the opposite: "Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. according to Luke. he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. without going up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. who had told them he would soon leave them to go to the Father." (Acts 9:1-2) "Christians" were not yet called by that term. who appeared to you on your way here. I went at once to Arabia. why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9:3-4) (This. where he remained for three days without anything to eat or drink. without consulting any human being.) Saul responded. (Acts 8:29-33) Philip interpreted this passage as a prophecy of Jesus as Messiah and "proclaimed" to the eunuch "the good news about Jesus. 1:17. Oxford: Oxford U." Instantly "something like scales fell from his eyes. "Saul." (Jn. is the first time that Jesus would identify persecution of the church with persecution of himself." (Acts 8:36-40) The stage was now set for what the Christian would consider the most momentous event other than the birth. the Lord Jesus. and "both of them. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth. Saul. ministry. how they would know the way to reach the Father when the Lord left them: "I am the way.mouth. "‘who are you. and the life. "I am Jesus. 14:5-6) As Saul continued on the road to Damascus in pursuit of followers of the Way. "the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. "suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" The Ethiopian commanded the chariot to stop. He entered the house of Judas and approached Saul. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him. But get up and enter the city. the Ethiopian said. and Philip baptized him. and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. The conversion of Saul." (Acts 9:10-12) Ananias had heard of Saul." Philip "found himself at Azotus." (Gal. however. (Acts 9:8-9) In Damascus. and his sight was restored. In his humiliation justice was denied him. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and said: "Brother Saul." had sought letters from the high priest to the synagogues at Damascus. whom you are persecuting. as this time. and you will be told what you are to do. still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." Luke records at this point." As they continued traveling together in the chariot." But the Lord said. (Acts 11:26) The disciples of Jesus. "the men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. he might bring them to Jerusalem. "look. when they emerged from the waters.

After his return from Arabia. He said. When Peter arrived. and while waiting for his meal." Cornelius stared at him in fear and responded. I am only a mortal." Peter "went up on the roof to pray. They told him of Cornelius’ vision: that he was "directed by an angel" to invite Peter to his house and "hear what you have to say. he "fell into a trance. Peter then perceived the truth. Peter asked them all to leave and kneeling by her body. Then the men sent by Cornelius appeared... ‘Look. But Peter said. still pondering the vision. "stand up. "By no means. "I truly understand that God shows no partiality. "about noon the next day. Peter visited the saints at Lydda and while there.. The voice said to him again a second time.. BUT NOT ALTERED
." The angel left and Cornelius sent two of his slaves and "a devout soldier from the ranks" to Joppa." (Acts 9:32-42) Peter remained at Joppa." Peter responded." a "devout man who feared God with all his household. who refused out of fear of him. Tarsus.’" He was instructed simply to go with them and was told no more. you must not call profane. Paul began. it seems incredible that Peter did not yet perceive the relationship between his dream. "you yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a gentile. "The Spirit said to him. Then Peter heard a voice: "Get up. Peter. asking for Simon’s house as they stood before his gate. where he sought audience with church leaders. and "the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down. Even crossing this threshold of social interaction violated the Law. Now may I ask why you sent for me?" (Acts 10:23-29) To the reader of our own time. "what is it. Plots to kill Saul led to his return to Jerusalem. whose house is by the seaside. a woman "devoted to good works and acts of charity. Cornelius fell at his feet. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds." He was hungry.. until Barnabas. Saul was then sent to his home city. and Peter’s apostolic calling to preach the gospel to the world. then had another. Peter. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter." Peter went to the upper room where her body had been washed for burial. but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. a tanner. Lord?" The angel said. Peter approached the men and told them he was the man they sought. later to be one of his companions on the epochal missionary journeys throughout the Mediterranean world." who "gave alms generously" and "prayed constantly to God. But to the followers of Jesus to this time. inquiring about Peter. But in Jerusalem too." All were forbidden from consumption by the Law.. kill and eat. it would be incomprehensible to presume gentile membership in a community of Jews who believed in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah." (Acts 10:9-16) Peter was puzzled by the vision and had no comprehension of its meaning. three men are searching for you. was called to Joppa to comfort church members who had suffered the death of a disciple named Tabitha. Cornelius then related his own vision from "a man in dazzling clothes" who directed him to Peter. "One afternoon at about three o’clock. he is lodging with Simon. residing with "a certain Simon. called together his friends and family." had a vision. but only to the level of allowing social intercourse with gentiles. get up. led to death threats. Meanwhile." he "clearly saw an angel of God. Cornelius’ vision. "Cornelius. Lord. he began to associate this event with his own vision. said: "Tabitha. but in every nation anyone who
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." She rose and "many believed on the Lord." (Acts 10:1-8) At Joppa. a gentile named Cornelius. in anticipation of Peter’s visit. being lowered to the ground by its four corners. Mourners surrounded her bed. for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean. the radical conversion from being the leading persecutor of the disciples to their most powerful voice." Three times the vision was repeated. "your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. "to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues" of Damascus." When Peter saw the gentile assembly.. intervened on his behalf. "a centurion of the Italian cohort." (Acts 9:43) In Caesarea." The angel said. ‘What God has made clean." (Acts 10:17-22) Cornelius. a tanner. "after telling them everything.

He found their faith to be as real as his own. ‘John baptized with water. The New Jerusalem Bible translates this portion of Paul’s epistle-general to the gentile communities around Ephesus: Do not forget. "step by step. the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. He carried his witness from Jerusalem. formerly Saul. different circumstances of time and place. and went to Tarsus to seek out Saul. Barnabas found a great number of believers among the gentiles. through his epistles. into Europe. and Antioch. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. Perhaps most important of all. that remains the paradigmatic vision for allowing the message of Jesus Christ to be heard. Damascus.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ." Peter reacted: "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" Then he ordered their baptism. understood. and his resurrection as the "one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. by the blood of Christ. with no investigation. and "the hand of the Lord was with them. They criticized Peter: "why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" Peter explained. and finally to Rome. guided by the Spirit. "when they heard this. his death. he shaped the Christian message to be comprehensible to the Mediterranean world. and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians." Antioch was the capitol of the Roman province of Syria. you that used to be so far all have been brought close." (Acts 10:30-48) At Jerusalem. aliens with no part in the covenants of the Promise. first at Philippi and then to Corinth and Athens. I say. without hope and without God. and the next.fears him. Paul saw his Lord. for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. to the next. and does what is right is acceptable to him. "while Peter was still speaking. the greatest missionary the Christian world has ever known. race. with Paul as mid-wife. color. who was I that I could hinder God?" Luke records that. the Son of Man. A new name had come into being to accommodate gentile Christianity. they were silenced. the next. saying. Jewish Christians who had left Jerusalem after the persecution that followed the stoning of Stephen. they sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate. Luke records that while most of the Jewish Christians leaving Jerusalem were careful to talk only of Jesus to other Jews. inviting all life to embrace the Way. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Gentile Christianity was born. Paul presents a method of gospel adoption for alien cultures." his vision and that of Cornelius: "And I remembered the word of the Lord. the apostles and other believers heard that gentiles had heard and accepted the word of God. the Human Being. the alien--whether so classified by religion. had begun telling gentiles ("Hellenists") the story of Jesus. locality and gender. fifteenth or twenty-third century— was invited to become a fellow-citizen with the saints in the household of God." When church leaders at Jerusalem heard of this unexpected phenomenon." Then. nationality. and as the paradigmatic New Man. the Acts of the Apostles becomes the story of Paul. And they praised God. but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. that you were at that time separate from Christ and excluded from membership with Israel. "in the name of Jesus Christ. as one concentric circle became too confining and had to give way. who joined him in a year’s ministry in Antioch." He then told the gathering the story of Jesus: his ministry.’" (Acts 11:1-18) At about the same time. the first martyr of the faith.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. On the way. limited to this world. and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. And at Antioch. and to be effective and affective across boundaries of space and time. with no concept of alienage. In this way. "some men of Cyprus and Cyrene" spoke to the Hellenists about Jesus. Cyprus. authorization or even knowledge of the apostles and disciples at Jerusalem. and Antioch throughout the Roman province of Asia (Asia Minor). they were scattered as far as Phoenicia. seventh. Ever moving outward. (Acts 11:19-26) From this point. ‘Then God has given even the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life. But now in Christ Jesus. how he had said. The two "taught a great many people. or by birth in the first.

so ethereal as to lack potence. including the apostles at Jerusalem and Paul. Paul and his companions returned to Syrian Antioch. over. the home. Jewish tradition and scripture remained and still remains at the center of Christian worship. vapid. All of the founding mothers and fathers of the first decades of Christianity were Jewish Christians. and has made the two into one entity and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart. If the concentric circles of Christianity are to be pushed ever-outward—across. and by James and Peter. The first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas had been enormously successful. phenomenon. most likely. to create a single New Man. the great missionary journeys that would convert the world began at Antioch. And if gentiles joined the church. and. 2:11-20) Following the epochal visions of Peter and Paul. or even gender-driven traditions and metaphors of their group. had kept as a part of their JewishChristian heritage. until later times. Eph. occurred. the universal message becomes watery. ‘set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. of spontaneous gentile Christianity. When synagogue and church finally parted. His purpose was. For so the Lord has commanded us. by destroying in his own person the hostility. (New Jerusalem Bible.. so much that a crisis was fomented in the infant church. the critical mass without intentional or unintentional debasement in an effort to accommodate sociological difference? Every group of believers must be allowed to inculcate universal gospel principles by use of the tribal. is the challenge now faced by Paul and Barnabas. and Peter—occurred. the exporters of such a universal message must first shear off from the "good news" their own social accretions that. Otherwise. however. Mark.. would be foreign and indigestible for the receiving culture. ethnic. no requirement of "either-or" in such affiliation.For he is the peace between us.. To accomplish both ends of this paradox--both the sending and the receiving side--somehow without losing the vital core of the life-giving message.. however empowering and life-giving for their own tribe. by restoring peace.. and through walls of separation—how does the church maintain the purity of the gospel’s core. At Antioch in Pisidia a decisive moment. racial.’" (Acts 13:1-2) This powerful pair first "proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. the brother of the Lord. felt no tension. and Cornelius’ reception of the Holy Ghost. you are fellow-citizens with the holy people of God and part of God’s household. But affirmative action toward gentile membership was another matter. Similarly. While Paul. and Luke and other companions of Paul would thereafter still preach in the synagogue. The "Holy Spirit said.’ (Acts 13:46-47) At the completion of this first of three missionary journeys." (Acts 13:5) As we examine the ultimate explosion of gentile Christianity.‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles. sensual vitality of life. but rather saw fulfillment of covanental promise. saying. The visions of Peter and Cornelius. so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Barnabas. a definitive change of course occurred. Paul and Barnabas declared: It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. and convert many believing Jews. what of the requirements of the Jewish Law. Before leaving. had been perceived... as a singular. it must be remembered that Jewish Christianity met with great success. pungent. Baptism could not be denied since God had granted baptism of the Holy Spirit. we are now turning to the Gentiles. So you are no longer aliens or foreign visitors. It is also the challenge that reverberates through the centuries in order that Christianity remain to
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Threats in Pisidian Antioch finally drove Paul and Barnabas from the city. in a sense. BUT NOT ALTERED
. which all Jewish Christians. Since you reject it . Now.. not possessed of the palpable. another paradigmatic contribution of Paul—with the support of James. possibly unique.

throughout Asia Minor and Europe. 12:12-27) Neither is the man without the woman. Finally. Gal... And. the body does not consist of one member but many.. would constitute the remaining ministry of Paul. I do not belong to the body.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." addressed the community. by implication. and finally and. in prison and palace. Was the Law the gate into Christianity? Jesus had declared himself to be the gate into the sheepfold. What part of Jewish law would be demanded of the new gentile convert? Echoes of Jesus’ parable of the Good Shepherd may have reverberated through this first church council at Jerusalem. to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria. both the apostles and the elders. neither the woman without the man. in a sense the first general epistle of the church. and communion with gentiles. there is neither bond nor free. seemingly decisively. who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. we have decided unanimously to chose representatives.. if the ear would say. in practice. If the foot would say. in common consent authorized a letter. I do not belong to the body.. Paul and Barnabas. Both by his own choice. our beloved Barnabas and Paul. all the members of the body. the "brother of the Lord. outside the walls of Rome. Since we have heard that certain persons have gone out from us. James replied: "I have reached the decision that we should not trouble these Gentiles who are turning to God. have said things to disturb you and unsettle your minds. But after that faith is come. ‘because I am not an eye.. James. (King James. though many. The Holy Spirit had come upon them. If the whole body were an eye. until he was beheaded. including the apostles and elders.. His testament continues. Christianity spread throughout the Mediterranean world.. diet.. There is neither Jew nor Greek... There the problem of a Christian message born in a Jewish culture was faced. 11:11)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. he carried the gospel of his Lord before kings and jailers.. For in this one Spirit we have all been baptized into one body—Jews and Greeks. (King James. BUT NOT ALTERED
.. Its particular form was the issue of circumcision and. 3:24-28) For just as the body is one and has many members. in the Lord.. Often he preached by design in the major commercial centers of the Roman Empire. (Acts 15:22-28) Working out this solution. to Antioch and beyond: The brothers.. though with no instructions from us." (Acts 15:1-19) Then the entire congregation. What did this mean? He had also said that he did not come to destroy but to fulfill the Law. and Silica.’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. ‘Because I am not a hand. 1 Cor.every people in every age the good news of eternal life. The story of the conversion of the gentiles in huge numbers was related. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials. to be taken by Paul and Barnabas.. the entire Jewish law of ritual cleanliness. that we might be justified by faith. writing epistles from jail or house arrest. Precisely what is gospel core.. Indeed. and under arrest or fleeing from plots on his life. Peter. greetings. slaves or free—we were all made to drink of one Spirit. so it is with Christ. and what is sociological superstructure? Paul and Barnabas left Antioch for Jerusalem to report on the phenomenon of mass gentile Christianity. there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. where would the hearing be?. as was his right as a Roman citizen rather than face crucifixion.. (1 Cor. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. are one body. Finally in Rome he bore witness. we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

he would send the Comforter. Ecstatic Confessions. inner transformation or witness. 13:1 We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. It is beyond the scope of this essay or this essayist to trace the institutional directions of the Christian church: through traditions of East and West. often but not always seen in spectacular fashion. the experience of repentance. Paul. Heb. for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the Coptic tradition. or another person. As Jesus told Nicodemus.St. For others. 29:19) He would be with them always. who would dwell with them and be within them. Through the Spirit of Truth. Catholicism. 14:15-17. whether by dream. They were to "make disciples of all nations. They would say. Then. (Jn. -. for them." (Matt. we might say how and when. and often a sense of his sinfulness and purposelessness. For some. Paul. throughout a lifetime. Heb. it will. For many. that they were no longer their former selves. Reformation and post-Reformation expansion. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. the experience is singular and lasts a lifetime. the ground or center of being.7 I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. a few examples of Christian conversion are offered
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. but that through Jesus they had changed fundamentally.Martin Buber. -. And I know that such a person— whether in the body or out of the body. 2 Cor. their vocation. Physical and psychic trauma sometimes follow. Millions of people would experience a profound change of being. The person experiences a profound malaise. -. would continue through the centuries. a turning or return. the purpose of their being which would make clear their particular course. 12:1-4 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. Paul. continuing in effect throughout their lives. such disciples accomplished. that no mortal is permitted to repeat. 16:12-14) He would convert the followers of Jesus. he must be "born again. In either case. Rather. -. But that the wind blows where and. to the end of the world. Orthodoxy.St. And while his physical presence was no longer with them. a pattern emerges." this time of the Spirit. will have either a catalytic or more dramatic effect of midwifery in this second birth. the conversions. would happen once with dramatic effect that would alter their course and their nature for the remainder of their lives. the documents of those that flow into words are before me. For some. the direction. The processes of conversion are various. For others the ecstacy of the moment diminishes and may be repeated in some form. with Paul. Often a book. p. frequently the Bible. mission. however. I do not know: God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told. the Holy Spirit would be called the Spirit of Truth. the Holy Spirit. as in an invisible sanctuary of humanity. the recipient is shaken to his roots and transformed. 12:1 Matthew’s gospel records Jesus’ final admonition to the disciples.St. ministry. Indeed. 15:26. to the present.Witnesses I believe in ecstasies that were never touched by sound. the process seems to be gradual and more gentle. I do not know: God knows. who would testify of Jesus and guide the disciples into truth. or by a direct manifestation of angels or by Jesus. Whether in the body or out of the body.

Yet he was in a stupor: "thus with the baggage of the world was I sweetly burdened.D. the voice of a boy or girl. tomorrow? Why not now?" (p. drawn me and heaped together all my misery and set it before the sight of my heart. Ecstatic Confessions.. pp. "The Hound of Heaven. the tumult which I had raised against my own soul in the chamber of my heart. is the statement of Ramakrishna (1833-1886). and that his flirtation with the Manichees and his licentiousness ("give me chastity. 135) He prayed that Jesus would "turn me toward myself. while praying.. London: The Folio Society." and "flung myself down . Pilkington. 138) Finally.. interpreting this as nothing other than a command to me from heaven to open the book and read the first chapter I should light upon.." The previously pagan Constantine was thereby converted in A. "Thus was I sick and tormented . in North Africa) The first great spiritual autobiography in Western history. "I
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. in Book VIII." (p." (p." Augustine poignantly described the unbearable pressure from God that he take the final step of absolute commitment to discipleship." (p... Lord. daily sighing unto you. 144-45) He returned to Alypius and picked up an epistle of Paul. restraining the torrent of tears. 1985." Constantine (280-337). 137) He was "laid bare to myself. Frend. .. 1984) But far more intimate and compelling to later centuries is the story of the conversion of St.... Of course. 473-515. "So. from the secret depths of my soul. (354-430.H. the patriarchs and prophets had been called. 144) And. 142) "When profound reflection had. "In the midst of this great strife of my inner dwelling.... Moses. leading directly to European "Christendom. let it be now." (p. The Rise of Christianity. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 142) Like Francis Thompson centuries later (1859-1907). . Augustine describes the final stages of his conversion. and infinite the forms that lead us to know him. as one who sleeps. "conquer by this. San Francisco: Harper & Row. Jacob. twisting and turning in my chain till it might be utterly broken. 26:1-23) The conversion of Constantine arguably constitutes the next most epochal event in Christian history. 138) Still. transl. (page numbers are to Confessions.: Fortress Press. Augustine’s Confessions has undoubtedly touched if not converted millions of Christians since. Ezekiel." (p. united the Empire and declared Christianity the official religion. Lord . . 312 and. in that very form and name you will see him. (See W. his torment continued. "let it be now.. Bishop of Hippo." Repeatedly. Buber). Perhaps the greatest conversion in Christian history is that already recounted. (See Acts 9:1-19. saw "a cross of light" in the heavens. Jeremiah. an acceptable sacrifice to you. for what held me now was so slight a thing! And you. ‘take up and read. Phila. as recorded by his disciple. following his defeat of Maxentius at Milvian Bridge. Augustine. Amos. according to the early contemporary Christian historian Eusebius. in his poem. I rose up. troubled both in mind and countenance. but not yet") must end." (as quoted in Martin Buber. 144) He "stole away" from his friend Alypius since "solitude was better for the business of weeping. set me face to face with myself. 1993) Augustine describes his lethargy to act on his growing conviction of the truth of Christianity. 22:1-21. J. and the fact that conversion is not by any means a phenomenon singular to Christianity. the society of the time greatly colored the scenery of conversion.G. as this phenomenon existed throughout Israel’s history." he seized his friend Alypius and repaired to a "small garden" by his lodging. and an inscription. By a severe mercy you redoubled the lashes of fear and shame lest I should again give way. Isaac.. The thoughts wherein I meditated upon you were like the efforts of those who wish to rise but are still so heavy with sleep that they sink back into it again. chapters 5-12... he spoke: "O Lord how long? How long. 134) "In a state of increasing anxiety I carried on in my accustomed ways. of The Confessions." (p." (pp.’ . take up and read. under a certain fig tree. accompanied by as mighty a shower of tears. there arose a mighty storm in me. (p. Whether by dream or by direct conversation with angels. In whatsoever name or form you desire to call him. hereafter. p.. the conversion of Paul. With exquisite beauty. Abraham." (p. 144) "The streams of my eyes flooded forth. Vivekananda: "Many are the names of God. "suddenly I head a voice from a nearby house. or the Lord. Isaiah.. forced upon me in the secret places of my soul." (p. The early Jewish Christians were not shocked by the spectacular nature of some conversions. 16. Augustine prayed.from various centuries and traditions. Reminding us of this fact.

Francis is asked. 18. or another never recorded. Francis of Assisi. receive you. like and perhaps beyond Paul. contemporary and thereafter. founder of the Jesuits. Such an expression is obvious if not simple-minded. termed by one Pope. BUT NOT ALTERED
. His purity shamed a venal church into reform. as you see." But Francis did not record it. he alluded to this experience and refused to finish his masterpiece. St. given the life of utter literal discipleship lived by this great saint. (1182-1226) All biographers. . is it better to serve the Lord or the servant?" Or in the purgatorial prison at Perugia? Or the dreams and. "the second Christ. "Francis. it was as though a light of utter confidence flooded shining into my heart and all the shadows of doubt were chased away. His transparent acceptance of all creation moved him. Augustine would yet receive great aid in his faith and ministry from his teacher and patron. His life was a daily story of continuing conversion outward and inward. His compassion for the poor protected him from allowing extremely literal interpretation of scripture to drive him into a fundamentalist narrowness. was similarly converted at the same time. He enjoyed an ecstatic experience with Monica in conversation just prior to her death. New York: Doubleday. His recognition of "Brother Sun and Sister moon and stars" acknowledged the organic and singular nature of the earth and the entire Cosmos. The Journey and the Dream. not in chambering and wantonness. where Francis prayed before the alter where there hung a large Byzantine crucifix of Christ. His refusal of the violent alternative undermined the militaristic feudal structure of his time. said. "him that is weak in the faith. (See Julien Green. is without question Francis of Assisi." testified to the immortality of the soul. God’s Fool. to fulfill the lusts thereof. And his final welcome to "sister death of the human body. ending in a conception of the cosmic Christ. "Lord Jesus. and Johannes Jorgensen. the Summa Theologica. His devotion to Lady Poverty helped subvert the viciousness of class structure based on rank or wealth. "Francis. 1972) Whether in one of these events. Conversions.. Francis has most probably inspired more conversions than any other witness of Jesus Christ since St Paul. 21. when in the age of knighthood. indeed. go now and repair my church which. and told her that her prayer of many years for her son’s conversion had been answered. 1985. His communion with the animal and plant kingdoms stopped barely short of pantheism. and make not provision for the flesh. St. not in strife and envying. seeming to come from the crucifix.snatched it up. Ambrose." (As quoted in Hugh J. but put on you the Lord Jesus Christ. p. a brittle rejection of compassion. Paul and St. Grand Rapids. The life and Time of Francis of Assisi. Yet from this moment on Augustine would continue his ministry as perhaps the greatest influence upon the direction of Christianity between the times of the ministries and St. saying that his vision affected him such that all such scholastic theology had become "straw. Francis prayed. to see the ever outward ripples of Jesus’ life toward a creation spirituality. Mulder. Anthony Messenger Press." and "read the paragraph on which my eyes first fell:" ‘ not in rioting and drunkenness. after only Jesus and St. Alypius. or perhaps through the crucible of many experiences. a personal visitation of Jesus in a cave opposite Mount Subasio? Or in dismounting from his horse to kiss the leper? Or in the little church of San Damiano. Francis. (Aquinas experienced some profound ecstatic experience. bishop of Milan. in reading another passage of Paul. His baptism would follow. agree that Francis had an experience of conversion. San Francisco: Harper and Row. Just prior to his death. the most influential witness of Christianity. from the leper to the Wolf of Gubbeo. 1955) Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). is falling down.") For the writer of this essay.’" (Romans 13:13-14) "Instantly. say some. His life of service and literal interpretation of Christ’s gospel made it apparent to his contemporaries and to millions in every generation thereafter that he was indeed a saint. Kerr and John M.. p. a great soul. chivalry and romance. what do you want me to do?" A voice. is similarly honored in all religious traditions. Was this event the dream at Spoletto." (Murray Bodo. Paul. His Canticle of the Creatures saw the image of God in all living creatures. but he left no record of it. 145) His friend. As patron saint of peace and environmental harmony he burst beyond any one Christian tradition and. Michigan:
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. We are left to speculate." (p. at the sight of which he received most abundant consolation for a considerable interval of time." (Romans 14:1) Augustine went immediately to his devoutly Christian mother Monica. had a vision in which he "saw our Lady with the holy child Jesus. Thomas Aquinas.

Behold your own brother. nor with any contributions of my sixth sense. and corresponded with a variety of people. (as quoted in Buber. 43-44) Among the German mystics of the thirteen and fourteen centuries. It is a high knowledge to see inwardly and to know that God. And when I see this in such manner in my soul.. for he is the ground in which our soul stands. as she was praying.. 1983.... so that I utterly and completely forgot all the misery and torment that I had ever known until this time. ‘My dearest. . .." and that a "right spirit" be revealed within her. (quoted by Buber. which has none of the heaviness of strength and which flies in the wind that carries it. One vision. A Roman Catholic Religious and preeminent mystic. Oh. in part by the recordings of The Anonymous Four.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. . As he sat beside her. (quoted by Buber. Christ appeared and seemed physically to open her left side and remove her heart.. recorded the following vision in 1373. occurred while she was ill and in bed. pp. as I have never seen anything with physical eyes.. "create in me a clean heart. 94-95) Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) was one of the most prominent Christian mystics of the fourteenth century. . And it is called by me the shadow of the living light . In a letter. who is your maker and your endless joy. and Christian scholarship. . wait and behold your God. God is much closer to us than our own soul.
Hildegard von Bingen (1099-1179) was a person of deep spirituality and possessed aesthetic gifts of the highest order. And what marvels I saw and recognized in it.. beautiful and blissful beyond measure. when I am more than seventy years old. all humans together could not put into words. how I love you!’ as if he had said. how I love you!.. Our good Lord spoke to me. Ignatian spirituality today has led millions in all Christian traditions.. so that I am borne by him like a feather. and my heart was transformed all of a sudden and filled with an unspeakable and strange joy. into a deepening of the inner life. she seemed physically to take on the image of Christ. hereafter Conversions) His contemporaries noted that from this time he adopted a severe Christian discipline for his own life.William B. since before I grew strong in bones and nerves and veins. who is our creator. I have constantly beheld this vision in my soul until the present time. was coming from heaven. and her mystical writings are more widely read today than in any previous time. wrote voluminously of her own visions. most blessedly: ‘Oh. And for my love rejoice with me. And in the light and in the joy... dwells in our soul. Buber quotes a vision by Sophia von Klingnau. I saw and sensed that my God was taken up from my heart and sent through my mouth and high into the air. it is far.. and it surrounded me and shone through me and illuminated me entirely. After repeating a prayerful verse: when I had said it... she composed chants. recorded by her confessor. And my soul ascends in this vision. and had a huge influence upon Christian life. From my childhood. And it is a higher and more inner knowledge to see and to know that our soul . as God wills. of flying through the heavens with God: I stretch out my hands to God. Yet I do not hear it with the outward ears . BUT NOT ALTERED
. and all its form and grace and beauty was shown to me fully... Erdmans. p. That light I see is not local.. but neither in my soul alone. Her music has enjoyed current revival. wait and behold what delight and bliss I have in your salvation. The Jesuits in our time have led out in fostering ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue. I also perceive it according to the changes of the layers of clouds and other created things. to the height of the firmament and into the exchange of airs and extends itself to many different peoples who live far from me in different lands and spaces.. and beyond. Raimund of Capua. she alludes to a recurrent vision or experience.. dwells essentially in God.. Later. pp. This appeared so real that in confession she told her confessor that she. 83) Lady Julian of Norwich. founded the Jesuits. far brighter than the cloud that carries the sun. an English mystic. and that it was given over to see my soul clearly and particularly with spiritual vision.. including ecclesiastical leaders of her time. I saw that a light. your Savior. In this light the images of the writings and the speech and the forces of many works of men shine forth to me.

. opened her left side once more. bearing in his hands a reddish and shining human heart. I remained for a long time dissolved in tears. fundamentally. so that he may lift her up whithersoever he will. She had received a copy of Augustine’s Confessions and had read of his conversion in the garden. I think that I am indeed without a heart." She became particularly drawn to a devotional image of Jesus in the house of her Order. I seemed to see myself in them and I began to commend myself to that glorious Saint. at the arrival of him who was the cause of the light." and "visions" and "abductions" began. "My method of prayer was this. I would try to make pictures of Christ. in poor health and in adjustment to Carmelite practice. Teresa then describes the climax of her conversion. the miserable habits which now enslaved it would not allow it to do so. She was rebuked by her confessor but responded. and in the light the Lord appeared to her. Dear God.. save when the Lord is pleased to call them very speedily to the Prayer of Quiet. inwardly. she arose from sleep: a light of heaven suddenly shone around her. ‘See. for the Lord appeared to me. the Lord approached her.. a Carmelite. If it advances. she said. She described years of tumult. She termed these "consolations and favors. the soul imagines that this higher part is detaching itself from the body. She was drawn. And at the beginning she needs courage in order to throw herself into the arms of the Lord. Father. She meditated as well on scenes from Jesus’ life. As I could not reason with my mind.. and though it desired to rest.. and a major figure in ecclesiastical reform. 23) After this. before she received the interior communications and the visions of God that affected her own life. "When I started to read the Confessions. Hugh Kerr and John Mulder (Conversions) quote Teresa in describing her conversion. as quoted by Buber (Ecstatic Confessions. on the other hand. so I am now giving you my heart. p. Augustine. to the Magdalen and to St. it goes a long way. possessed no heart. 21-22) St. This method of praying in which the mind makes no reflections means that the soul must either gain a great deal or lose itself—I mean by its attention going astray. When I got as far as his conversion and read how he heard that voice in the garden. with which you will live from now on. "By this time my soul was growing weary. sets in with a single recognition which God gives to the innermost part of the soul with such swiftness that it seems as if the soul’s higher part were being snatched away. beloved daughter. loses the senses and lives for God. in great distress and affliction. just as I took your heart from you. But those who arrive thus far will do so only at great cost to themselves. For as long as God does not set the soul in the peace to which he wishes to raise
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. it seemed exactly as if the Lord was speaking in that way to me. and what torments it endures when it loses its freedom to be its own master! I am astonished now that I was able to live in such a state of torment. because it is moved by love. 113-115): "The difference between trance and abduction is that in trance the soul gradually dies to outward things.. while her brothers and sisters Religious had departed for Siena." In a letter to her confessor. placed inside her that heart which he bore in his hands. and said. . The Interior Castle. She experienced a lifetime of visions and described the "interior voices" she heard in her major devotional writing. particularly his agony in the Garden. was a Spanish mystic. as far as I can judge by bodily feeling.’ (quoted by Buber. God be praised." (Conversions p. Teresa of Jesus. she struggled for many years. . "in truth. and the life of the church. opened my left side. as both had been sinners before their conversion. and I used to think I felt better when I dwelt on those parts of his life when He was most often alone. took out my heart and departed’." Later. as He has called a few people whom I know. at 105-107) Teresa of Avila (1515-1582). Like many of those who have an ultimate ecstatic experience..in reality. Father Rodrigo Alvarez. also known as St. BUT NOT ALTERED
. her deepest spiritual experiences—her "inner voices. what a soul suffers. she sank trembling to the ground. she describes such phenomena. And when. who gave me life to forsake such utter death!" (p. abduction.

Thus does God. throws out a flame.. . James records this description of union with God by St.. 1966). and moreover something so precious. mathematician. she can neither forget the favor she received. He notes simply that "by a sudden conversion" God brought him into his life’s vocation and out of the law. 1985. and God in her. Righteous Father. in conversion or in the mystical description of the union with God. . Julian of Norwich. the late former Secretary. The fact of conversion is evident and radiates from the pages of their journals. John Calvin (1509-1564). . St. . physicist and Christian mystic. reacting against "papal superstitions. Meister Eckhart. suspend the natural action of her faculties. for the poor soul does not know what is to come of this... The actual events of the conversion of each are left fragmentary. although the fire in its being is below and does not cease to be a fire by the flame’s climbing upward..General of the United Nations. with an introduction by T. and blazes up..S. will all affect the particularities of conversion. 1979). Markings (New York: Alfred A. . one senses. both his writing and his own record of his conversion are similar to a contemporary figure.. 17:3) "Let me never be separated from him. BUT NOT ALTERED
.." (Jn. She sees herself as it were suspended between heaven and earth and does not know what to do with herself. This truth of reunion is so strongly impressed on her that even though many years should pass without the condition returning. and the one whom thou has sent. Thus it occurs to the soul. dated "Monday.. and a profoundly literal belief in all creation reflecting the image of God.408-409. John of the Cross. which ascends to the upper spheres and arrives where God will have it.. I know only that one perceives spiritual flight very distinctly. I know no other more suitable comparison. in order that she may apprehend lofty things—she must truly be resolved at first to die for him. 23 of November." The writings of Jacob Boehme. Thomas Merton and countless others reveal this. James. that when she returns to herself. often includes what William James calls "revelations of new depths of truth. Pascal recorded flashes of perception in sentence-fragments.H. but I have known thee" (Jn. Pensées ( Franklin Center: Franklin Library. out of a feeling of awe. In many ways. "This is the eternal life. which so quickly brings forth something. 24-25) Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). Dag Hammarsköld (1905-1961). the forms and metaphor of religious ecstacy are bound to be influenced by the matrix within which they occur. pp. Knopf. Auden. and that one cannot prevent it. 17:25) . Teresa of Avila: In the orison of union. God of Jesus Christ. pp. (William James." 1654: "God of Abraham. unitary nature of the Cosmos.. The ecstatic experience. 37-
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. (Conversions. the only true God. even holiness. New York: Penguin Books. Something like a fire that is to become great and has everything ready for burning. The nature of the society.. Catherine of Siena.. Spiritual flight is something which I do not know how to name and which arises from the inner ground of the soul... Penn. God establishes himself in the interior of this soul in such a way. not the philosophers and scholars. an organic. who wrote his spiritual reflections. nor doubt of its reality.her—to raise her. God of Jacob. the particular psychology of the individual. reflecting the power of his experience. As has been noted. so the soul with her readiness for God resembles a fire: it ignites swiftly. . seemingly intentionally obscure. but wholly asleep as regards things of this world and in respect to herself. But in each great spiritual memoir one feels the psalm-like quality of the reflections. it is wholly impossible for her to doubt that she has been in God. the age or epoch." will not respond to spiritual openings as would Teresa of Avila.. the world hath not known thee. hereafter. with a forward by W. the soul is fully awake as regards God. Jesus Christ. when he raises a soul to union with himself. Eliot.. pp.. surrounding the experience.) From such union with God often comes expressions of deeper understandings of the interrelatedness of all creation: our common humanity. God of Isaac. It seems to me as if soul and spirit must be one nature." (Conversions. The Varieties of Religious Experience. wrote one of the great works of spiritual reflection. I say. the beliefs and practices and the religious tradition of the recipient.. It appears in truth like flight. an appreciation of the interrelation of all living things. that they might know thee. and as William James notes in The Varieties of Religious Experience.

a realization of direction. p. Lewis and John Henry Newman possess the characteristic of an intellectual pilgrimage culminating in spiritual and emotional assurance of arriving at the right place. . I ought to be completely happy.(p. and C.S. 163) Pascal experienced conversion in failing health. yet by fifty. why should I live? Why should I do anything? Is there in life any purpose which the inevitable death which awaits me does not undo and destroy?" (James." (James p. ‘This is He. as different from the conversions of Augustine and Teresa of Avila as they were from the conversions of Baptist. with thee in faith.. considering and considering again suicide. certain conditions often but not always existed: an awareness of sin and a feeling of purposeless. or the conversion stories of the American frontier. 91) "So shall the world be created each morning —new—forgiven in Thee." (p. from agnostic master of classical literature. Kerr and Mulder record the presumption of W. 1895. followed by the complete devotion of the disciple.. leader of the Oxford Movement. Auden that Hammarsköld’s writings reflect a radical change between 1952 and 1953. p. "a voice seemed to cry within me.. 154-55) "During the whole course of this year (1879)..S.’ And stronger than ever rose up life within and around me. to be able to stand up and leave everything behind—without looking back to say yes—. with Jesus Christ as the central fact of their lives. . Lewis." (Markings." But." (Psalm 39:8. I almost unceasingly kept asking myself how to end this business. whether by the rope or by the bullet. moved from myth to what he came to believe was the foundation story literally true: God made man in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. p. 102) "Not I but God in me. William James records Tolstoy’s reminiscence: "I felt that something had broken within me on which my life had always rested. I can call this by no other name than that of a thirst for God. he considered suicide because of the purposelessness of his existence. Lewis found his home in the Church of England. a gradual or often a suddenly shattering experience with the presence of Jesus.. including physical and psychological or spiritual trauma. and the light that then shone never left me again. Live to seek God. . by Thee.. 153) "Yet. Then. an intellectual and emotional journey culminated in a confirmation of their direction and vocation." (James. but somehow made them tolerable or even irrelevant. and life will not be without God. near death.. 90) "To be free. in thee in peace.. had fathered thirteen children. 1955) For each. he says. London: Longmans. my heart kept languishing with another pining emotion. a commitment to vocation. attempting to move the Church of England closer to first century Christianity." (p. God is life. Newman.. "alongside of all those movements of my ideas and observations. . p. New York: Harcourt. Surprised by Joy." (as recorded in Conversions at 136)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the conversions of C. . He without whom there is no life. then. Again in rough parallel.38) Hammarsköld wrote: "Before thee in humility. Lutheran and Methodist converts. even there also shall thy hand lead me. Brace.. It was an aspiration of my whole being to get out of life. was living the life of a Russian aristocrat and enjoyed world recognition as one of the great novelists. and finally a sense of joy that did not remove difficulties or anguish. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) had written War & Peace and Anna Karenina during the first half of a long life.. followed the centuries back until he found himself converted to Catholicism. when he was at the height of public recognition but privately despondent. Lewis. followed by a centeredness. For others. he says.H. he says. 104) "If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea. 155-56) In this tumult of emotion.. All this took place at a time when so far as all my outer circumstances went. Apologia Pro Vita Sua. often there was a prolonged time of struggle. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the ground of their being. while differences in centuries and society colored their accounts. An invisible force impelled me to get rid of my existence. even if outward success hid that sensation. "I could give no reasonable meaning to any actions of my life. . he says. (See John Henry Newman. To know God and to live are one. he remembered his earlier belief in God.

p. faced years of battling through his own sins. and replenished with the heavenly knowledge. 411. 410) Boehme recorded a later experience: In one quarter of an hour I saw and knew more than if I had been many years together at an university. he thought. He... or Quakers. how all things had their names given to them. John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a contemporary of George Fox. use. and in his own life and the lives of many who followed him. at age twenty-five. my heart did leap for joy." (James." which were open to all through conversion to Jesus Christ. he describes his disenchantment with the effect of corporate dynamics upon Christian morality and spirituality.’ When I heard it... according to their nature and virtue. and the eternal generation of the holy Trinity. From that time with complete devotion Fox and the Quakers would perform a ministry to the poor and the marginalized of many nations. I was at a stand in my mind whether I should practice physic for the good of mankind. Before that time. and I saw and knew the whole working essence. BUT NOT ALTERED
. ‘There is only even Jesus Christ. (James. pp. and viewing the herbs and grass of the field. . (James. Both lived in an England torn by civil war between Puritans and Anglicans. "I was a man of sorrows in the time of the first workings of the Lord in me. like Newman and many others. Jacob Boehme (1575-1624).(James. and properties. he there sat down. demonstrated a compassion for the poor and for social reform. The Byss and The Abyss. note 2) His conversion came in 1647. and often took my Bible. asserted a continuing revelation of Jesus to all believers. the external and visible world being of a procreation or exterior birth from both the internal and spiritual worlds. as he saw them. Bunyan. was surrounded by the divine light. searching for his truth. I heard a voice which said. oh then. then the Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition." (James. at Gorlitz. as John Wesley would do a century later in Methodism. the descent and original of the world and of all creatures through the divine wisdom. 335) After a considerable time in such melancholy searching. nor could tell what to do. as reflected. I knew and saw in myself all the three worlds. that can speak to thy condition.. as he saw it. 410-411) George Fox (1624-1691) founded the Society of Friends.. supporters of Parliament and the monarchy." (James. He says that on his own journey he: "walked abroad in solitary places many days."when all my hopes in them (ministers and professors of religion) and in all men were gone so that I had nothing outwardly to help me. then. 336) From this came Fox’s "priesthood of all believers" and his teaching of the "Inner Light. insomuch as going abroad into the fields to a green. p. The creation was opened to me and it was showed me. particularly. sought reform through an attempt to return to the simplicity of Christian life in its first century. and sat in hollow trees and lonesome places. For I saw and knew the being of all things. p. and he directly influenced Mahatma Gandhi and others who followed in that tradition. in the failure of institutional Christianity to live up to its professed spirituality and ethics. in his inward light he saw into their essences. Fox recorded a later vision similar in ontological scope to Jacob Boehm’s: I was come up to the state of Adam in which he was before he fell. seeing the nature and virtues of the creatures were so opened to me by the Lord.Tolstoy’s particular discipleship reflected a non-violence and simplicity of first-century Christianity. p. a Christian mystic. Out of this trauma within his own soul and in the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.. p. 335) He left his father and mother and friends to travel throughout the country.. He rejected a professional clergy.

except the Bible.. I found myself as on a miry bog that shook if I did but stir.. Kerr and Mulder report his reading a passage in Luke encouraging prayer. My original and inward pollution.. Then. I said. He read Kempis’s Christian Patterns. after more days of what an earlier time and a different tradition might call "the dark night of the soul. great is thy Faith. but felt tossed backward and forward in bouts of self-loathing for sin. he said.. even for some years.. by my Head. which as Kerr and Mulder note. thought I. would as naturally bubble out of my heart as water would bubble out of a fountain. as ‘My." He understood his own relationship to the atonement.." (Conversions. while he was in "a meeting of God’s people. The founder of Methodism." Finally. while passing into the field . and frequent communion. "for thee?" "Therefore I did still pray to God. He saw.’" Yet. until the twentieth century.. He described his early life as being intensely aware of God. though on Earth by my body. Increasingly he saw the Christian religion as "seated in the heart. ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven. and upon compassionate social legislation in our society. as taken from Kerr and Mulder. now I grow worse and worse." like Stephen. (James. Wesley recounted events in his life leading up to May 24. "at last when I was .. p. as any similar event since the ministry of Martin Luther. the first Christian martyr. p. until finally he received the confirmation that was a hallmark of his Baptist faith. pp. 50-52) The final epiphany for Bunyan came as he still battled with doubt and human fallibility. Pilgrim’s Progress. ‘My power is sufficient for thee. And now I was sorry that God had made me a man. was the most read book in English.society in which he lived. and involved his perception of scripture and their applicability to him. .’ (Conversions. and understood "the mystery of the union with the Son of God. in Heaven by my Christ. 52-53) "Now could I see myself in Heaven and Earth at once. set the direction of evangelical Christianity and propelled that portion of Christian ministry into the forefront of social reform. again. ‘He is able. and oh! Methought that every word was a mighty word unto me. these words did sound suddenly within my heart. . 187) The conversion of John Wesley (1703-1791) had as great an impact upon the history of modern Christianity in the West. he became aware of inwardness. Wesley’s ministry and that of his followers.." Bunyan experienced another piece of his puzzle: "another piece of a sentence darted in upon me.. 157-158) Bunyan’s conversion seemed to extend over several years. and that I was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.. I was more loathsome in my own eyes than a toad. thought I. and I thought I was in God’s eyes too.. Sin and corruption. Gradually.. "One day.. He experienced continued inner tumult. My grace is sufficient for thee. . Sure. Next. ." He began a regular spiritual practice of daily meditation.. ‘My grace is sufficient. by my Righteousness and Life. that I was joined with Him. p. silent prayer." (James. BUT NOT ALTERED
.. "the light flowed in so mightily upon my soul. now I am further from conversion than ever I was before.’ and ‘For thee.’" Bunyan still pondered whether this statement applied to him. Increasingly.. "a scripture fastened on my heart. Why did the sentence not conclude.. those words did with great power suddenly break in upon me. once again Bunyan questions why the sentence ended without that personal assurance he had sought before. This he did. ‘O man.. and thus I continued a long while. but focused mainly upon external works. 48) William James records Bunyan’s state before his conversion: Nay. (Conversions.’" While elated momentarily.’" And Bunyan saw "Jesus Christ at God’s right hand."
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul. he was not able to believe this of himself. that everything appeared to be a new view. would come a particular view of the Christian life as one of pilgrimage. after a night pondering the atonement of Jesus. . quite worn out with fear.. . memorialized in his allegorical autobiography. .’ three times together. pp.’ and ‘Grace. Then.. Now. . John Bunyan’s burden of sin dropped from him as "chains fall off my legs. Jesus on God’s right hand. full of goodness and terror. I am forsaken of God..’ and ‘Sufficient. By reason of that. that was my plague and my affliction. that he would come in with his Scripture more fully on my heart. 1738 and his conversion.

to the thirty-eighth Psalm. but was stopped by "an inward voice: ‘what are you waiting for? Did you not promise to give your heart to God?. 54-60) William James records the conversion story of Henry Alline. in James’ words.. pp. and my soul waiting on him continually. James notes.." (Conversions." (p." A Moravian brother emphasized the need of interior spirituality. "I had become very nervous. 217-218) Returning to his home. Bunyan. I thought I saw that same light (as he had seen. as important in discipleship as Wesley’s work among the poor and those in prison. 218-219) Charles G. and in the night a strange feeling came over me as if I was about to die. praying. darkness was expelled.’ was in my heart and in my mouth.. .." (p. "I made up my mind that I would settle the question of my soul’s salvation at once. my heart humbled and filled with gratitude.. Paul’s epistle to the Romans. His own spiritual practice was increasingly "directed toward inward holiness. (Conversions. reforming . as clearly as I ever have in my life." Then. even mine. 1775. cried out: Enough. ‘Jesus Master. 218) at that moment.." The next day. 105)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. p.. before). On Wednesday May 24. and felt "strangely warmed. In October of 1821. according to the promise. in paraphrase of that psalm." (James. and was willing that God should rule over me at his pleasure." (p.. the following impressions came into my mind like a powerful but small still voice. the earth seemed accursed for my sake: all trees. Paul’s impressed him: "Out of the deep have I called unto thee. My Lord and my God.. 1738.. and as soon as I saw it.. As Kerr and Mulder note. "the moment I awaked." (2 Peter 1:4) Then he turned to the words "thou are not far from the kingdom of God. he began visiting the prisons and assisting the poor and those who were ill." (Conversions. He prayed. even that ye should be partakers of the divine nature. akin to Tolstoy. the burden of guilt and condemnation was gone. "redeeming love broke into my soul with repeated scriptures. .’" He reports that at this moment "the whole question of Gospel salvation opened to my mind." He started for his office. . "looking up. His experience. he noticed a Bible and opened it in haste. . that if it were possible I would make my peace with God.. 103-104) Finney describes the malaise and awareness of sin that marks many stories of conversion. are you any nearer to conversion now than when you first began?’ . "his poor divided mind became unified for good.In 1730. I did not think that I was one step nearer than at first.. I felt I did trust in Christ. pp." (James.. the reality and fullness of the atonement of Christ. ‘You have been seeking.. a Christian evangelist who labored in Nova Scotia in the eighteenth century.. meditating. Finney (1792-1875) significantly influenced the nature and the language of American revivalist evangelical preaching.. And "at that instant of time when I gave all up to him to do with me as he pleased. My sins seemed to be laid open. p. 217) "As I was about sunset wandering in the fields lamenting my miserable lost and undone condition. p.. I saw. "Everything I saw seemed to be a burden to me. and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins. O Lord. . Christ alone for salvation. seemed to be dressed in mourning and groaning." (Conversions..." An anthem at St.. O blessed God. and saved me from the law of sin and death. plants. p. His emphasis of grace and works added a perfectionist element to Protestant evangelical religion that was particularly a mark of the American frontier in the nineteenth century. the design was opened to me.. rocks. and many others. a plea for redemption. I ." At a later meeting he read Luther’s preface to St. bears some similarities to that of Bunyan. enough.. with such power that my whole soul seemed to be melted down with love. and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed on him. this affected the American emphasis on self-reliance and the entrepreneurial spirit. Wesley opened his bible to a passage from Peter’s second epistle: "There are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.. interiorly. 159) But on March 26. hills . . 104) During that week. Alline felt the same deep religious melancholia.. BUT NOT ALTERED
.. He shall redeem Israel from all his sins.. though it appeared different.

. .. This light seemed like the brightness of the sun in every direction. " After this experience.. body and soul. On the contrary." (James. it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love. Without any expectation of it. .. feeling that all sense of sin and guilt had left him. A light perfectly ineffable shone in my soul. nevertheless it appeared . the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me.. and I will hearken unto you. north of the village in the state of New York where he lived. Smith reports his concern over contending religious groups and his own consciousness of sin. nor did it for some time afterwards that it was wholly a mental state. New York. that almost prostrated me on the ground. He was reading the epistle of James. it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ face to face. recorded a revelation that occurred in his fifteenth year in Manchester. (James. without any recollection that I had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world. "never did any message of scripture come with more power . like a wave of electricity. (Conversions. (James." At that moment he was freed from this force and "saw a pillar of light exactly over my head. of that light that prostrated Paul on the way to Damascus. without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me. perfectly light... it seemed to me that I saw him as I would see any other man. ." Then. It seemed to me that I bathed his feet with my tears. I crept into this place and knelt down for prayer.. "just at that point this passage of scripture seemed to drop into my mind with a flood of light: ‘then shall ye go and pray unto me.. Then shall ye seek me and find me.. above
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. He "penetrated into the woods out of sight of the village" and found a place where some large trees had fallen across each other. go through and through me. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. He then reports that he was immediately set upon by a dark power that threatened his obliteration.. "and poured out my soul to him." He felt "an overwhelming sense of my weakness. p." Smith says. "There I saw I could make a kind of closet. I wept aloud with joy and love.. Then he called upon God "to deliver me out of the power of the enemy which had seized upon me. p... I said." (Conversions. leaving an open space in between.. than this did. founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church). But before entering his office.’ I instantly seized hold of this with my heart. Like many other similar stories. 252) Finney continues: There was no fire and no light in the room. I will give my heart to God. 107) He returned to his office. . BUT NOT ALTERED
..... Indeed. 255) Finney led evangelical revivals throughout New York in the 1820s and ‘30s and later served on the faculty of Oberlin College.Finney stopped and changed his course from his office to a secluded wooded area. It was too intense for the eyes. I could feel the impression. Then he describes a shattering baptism of the Spirit. p... (James. As I went in and shut the door after me." On this day in 1820.. It did not occur to me then.. p.. William James records Finney’s vision: All at once the glory of God shone upon and round about me. .. p. from 1835 to 1875 and as president from 1851 to 1866. 254) Finney writes that he fell down and wept at Jesus’ feet. I think I knew something then by actual experience... p. when ye shall search for me with all your heart.. "A great sinking and discouragement came over me. chapter one verse five: "if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God. he sought a secluded place and began to pray." Yet he experienced a sinking feeling of despair. Ohio.. Finney returned to his office and sat by the fire. 104) Joseph Smith (1805-1844). he retired to a back room to pray. 255) Finney describes his reaction: "No words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart..

. (See. The glory of God seemed to swallow up every wish and desire of my heart. while praying in his room. wholly peculiar in its strength and sweetness. 67)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. to perceive a glow of divine love come down from the heart of Christ in heaven into my heart in a constant stream. far beyond all that I had ever felt before. At the same time my heart and soul all flowed out in love to Christ. and ardent desires for their happiness. 276-77) James. whose brightness of glory defy all description.. . . in tormenting me. clear and lively sense of the heavenly sweetness of Christ’s excellent love. in the mid-eighteenth century: Last night was the sweetest night I ever had in my life. dressed in a robe of "exquisite whiteness. p. pity. a sea in which we swim.the brightness of the sun. The Mormon trek to the Great Basin of the West." Moroni told Smith of gold plates buried in a nearby hill. enjoyed so much of the light and rest and sweetness of heaven in my soul. the faith-state is a natural psychic complex. in commenting on the psychology of this religious experience common to Catholic saints and Protestant converts. whether I was asleep or awake. like motes swimming in the beams of the sun. .. and I appeared to myself to float or swim. I never before . Three years later. in which the sand and grit of selfhood incline to disappear. and New Mexico. I thought. According to Smith. if I were surrounded by enemies.’" Smith was told to join none of the sects of the area. Like love or fear. I lay awake. he would be told later to do so. of his nearness to me." (p. 279) James continues the narrative of Mrs. Hear Him. While he was not to retrieve them then.. along with his brother Hyrum." (Conversions. who were venting their malice and cruelty upon me. (James. which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday.. As noted by Kerr and Mulder. I seemed .. . and sometimes between sleeping and waking. This vision was repeated three times..D. or the streams of light which come in at the window. as recorded by Professor Starbuck: When I arose in the morning of the Sabbath. Starbuck’s The Psychology of Religion.. translated them. Smith’s successor. it would still be impossible that I should cherish any feelings towards them but those of love. Texas. Joseph Smith. which. it seemed to me that I had entirely done with myself. along with the states of the Rocky Mountains. in these bright. Jonathan Edwards. William James. There was but little difference. after Smith was murdered." He saw "two Personages. are all unifying states’ of mind. . . (James. constitutes one of the more fascinating chapters in American political and religious history.. by a mob in Illinois. and carries charity with it by organic consequence. Edwards. ontological wonder. extending into California. like a stream or pencil of sweet light. 2:11-12.. sometimes asleep. p. along with the Bible. The best thing is to describe the condition integrally as a characteristic affectation to which our nature is liable. p. says: "Religious rapture. 15-20) A significant portion of the expansion and colonization of the West was accomplished by the Mormons. and tenderness to rule. "I discovered a light appearing in my room. As I awoke early the next morning. . relates the experience of Mrs... and published the work as the Book of Mormon. The power of love seemed inexpressible. Mexico. But all night I continued in a constant.. and of my dearness to him: with an inexpressibly sweet calmness of soul in an entire rest in him." He described an angel named Moroni. BUT NOT ALTERED
. standing above me in the air. as to have their hearts touched. Edwards concluded that "our people do not so much need to have their heads stored.. One of them spoke unto me pointing to the other— ‘This is my Beloved Son.. 280) Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was one of the greatest American theologians and sided with those Christians during the Great Awakening who looked toward evangelical passion rather than intellectual conviction as the centerpoint of conversion. in 1827 he obtained the plates.. sweet beams. so that there seemed to be a constant flowing and reflowing of heavenly love. Pearl of Great Price. moral enthusiasm. a region in which we find ourselves at home. I felt a love to all mankind... became the founding scriptures for the Mormon Church. quoting from E. under the direction of Brigham Young. cosmic emotion.

which is fully as striking.. To this is added a state of moral exaltation." Bucke described this as follows: The prime characteristic of cosmic consciousness is a consciousness of the Cosmos. to walk for divine contemplation and prayer. emptied and annihilated.. be honour and glory for ever and ever. p. The concluding witnesses continue this theme. having alighted from my horse in a retired place. Never any words of scripture seemed to me as these words did. or a building fitly framed together. what I know not otherwise how to express. as I rode out into the woods for my health. came into my heart. R. I felt an ardency of soul to be. and was as it were diffused through it.. to have him for my head.. Augustine.M. (R. that for me was extraordinary. of the life and order of the universe.. 18:3: "‘except ye become as little children." (Conversions. Amen. ethnicity. as Mediator between God and man. With these came what may be called a sense of immortality. and. in 1737. And my mind was greatly engaged to spend my time in reading and meditating on Christ. We are no more strangers or aliens. race and gender. of the glory of the Son of God. John Bunyan. and the work of redemption. and my soul was led away in pleasant views and contemplations of them... with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception—which continued. 69) Edwards recounted a vision of Jesus: "once. George Fox. all in the image of God.M. Bucke. Teresa. . also to have Christ for my teacher and prophet. p. immortal. The Abba prayers of Jesus and Paul epitomize this sense of intimacy. . not a conviction that he shall have this. which kept me the greater part of the time. there came unto my soul. . Bucke. No more aliens. . several other times. p. Cosmic Consciousness: a Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind: p. or Charles G. to be united to Christ.... as near as I can judge. a sense of the glory of the Divine Being.. at 398). Francis’ vision of Brother Sun and Sister moon and stars.. (Conversions. I began to have a new kind of apprehensions and ideas of Christ. This vision leads to ontological and cosmological integration. as my manner commonly has been. From about that time. Phila. quite different from anything I ever experienced before. The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent. Finney and countless others. 68) Edwards wrote of meditating often upon the passage in Matthew. a consciousness of eternal life. and a quickening of the moral sense. Wesley. .’ It has often appeared to me delightful. had views very much of the same nature. the reality of St. invisible..’ As I read the words. but fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God. through a common mystical tradition.. and joyousness. and to be a member of his body. who studied the phenomena of what he called "cosmic consciousness. at least the suggestion of inter-faith communion.2. and more important than is the enhanced intellectual power. about an hour. in a flood of tears. . William James relates the story of a Canadian psychiatrist. between many different Christian traditions. that is. but the consciousness that he has it already. John Wesley. The consequential morality is again one of integration: as children of God we should love one another. I have." (Conversions. in the household of faith. sweet sense of these things. BUT NOT ALTERED
. . He read 1 Timothy 1:17: ‘Now unto the King eternal. 69) From the beginning of this essay. there has been a Pauline theme: the expansion of Christianity through barriers of time. at times.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the only wise God.Like the Eunuch with Philip in a first-century conversion. and weeping aloud. St. an indescribable feeling of elevation. I had a view.. in recording his experiences of conversion notes the effect of a particular passage of scripture as a beginning point. as quoted in James. An inward. place. or St..: 1901. The metaphors of Paul appear: we are parts of one body. elation.. a new sense. Along with the consciousness of the Cosmos there occurs an intellectual enlightenment which alone would place the individual on a new plane of existence—would make him almost a member of a new species. and to a theology based upon a feeling of intimacy with God and a literal view of our creation in the image of God. to be full of Christ alone.

sometimes besides me. Bucke’s own experience which led to his study.." thinking about the evening he had just spent with friends: All at once.. pp. . He is so transparent and shining. then he clings to the great might and elevates himself in his mind and breaks all at once through all the firmaments and transcends angels and hypostases and seraphim and thrones. but it is swift as a thought. . that the cosmic order is such that without any peradventure all things work together for the good of each and all. He even takes me across the sea. and we sang praises to God together. I became conscious in myself of eternal life... he cannot climb up to the upper worlds. BUT NOT ALTERED
... . . The vision lasted a few seconds and was gone. right through to the inner origin and coherency of all appearances. I had attained a point of view from which I saw that it must be true. discerning it by the power of God. Directly after which there came upon me a sense of exultation.. I saw my guardian angel always at my side. which is mine only Begotten
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. . that the foundation principle of the world. . Bucke said that he was driving "in a hansom to my lodging. . and the whole world is as nothing before God. I see a light-filled world that is always understandable through and through. of immense joyousness accompanied and immediately followed by an intellectual illumination impossible to describe. Among other things. But if he serves with his might.. 398-399) Martin Buber records the visions of Anna Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824).." God then tells Moses: And worlds without number have I created. of all the worlds. is what we call love. pp. . I know that what the vision showed me was true. I knew that the fire was within myself.. .. And although he grasps this with his understanding. I have been flying and seeing the whole day. It was not a conviction that I would have eternal life. the next. There was not a particle of it which he did not behold. I know nothing of myself.. . He takes me to persons whom I do not know. but I saw that the universe is not composed of dead matter. He is without head covering and wears a long priestly robe. I usually see first a brightness. We travel from here through familiar landscapes to regions farther and farther away. but a consciousness that I possessed eternal life then..James describes Dr. (Buber. But God has hidden from them many other mercies that he showed me. 149-50) In Mormon scripture. 135-138) Later. and then I see so far.. and that the happiness of each and all is in the long run absolutely certain. My leader floats sometimes before me. (Bucke. sat on my head and shoulders. and I have the sensation of uncommon distance.... (Buber. When I worked in the garden.. when he comes to me to lead me on some journey. a Roman Catholic sister: The angel summons me and leads me hither and thither... but a shimmer flies over the face of the earth. Joseph Smith records what he considered to be a vision of Moses: "Moses beheld the earth. My sister nuns do not understand me. Buber quotes the sayings of the Hasidim: Occasionally one may experience the separation that there are so many other firmaments and spheres.... And by the Son I created them. and then a form suddenly emerges shining from the night. city (where he had spent the evening). an immense conflagration somewhere close by in that . I travel with him very often. I did not merely come to believe.. but is on the contrary. which might be considered as a sort of pseudepigraphic literature by Christians of other traditions. so far! . I thought only of Jesus and my holy vows. the birds came to me. and he stands on one point of the little earth. and so it seems to him as if he were seeing God from a distance. . but the memory of it and the sense of the reality of what it taught has remained during the quarter of a century which has since elapsed. . as quoted by James. I saw that all men are immortal. For an instant I thought of fire. I never see his feet move...... at p.. who is the limitless one and who made limitations and set location in himself in order to make the worlds. . . a living Presence. I found myself wrapped in a flame-colored cloud.. When we travel it is night above us.. without warning of any kind.

intuitions. if you like. with St. shows no favor and takes no bribes but upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widows and loves the stranger. Then this most eloquent Christian monastic burst out in a torrent of writing which makes him among the most widely
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. France.. Francis of Assisi. for the numinous quality of every earthly thing. New York: Penguin Books. Educated in England and Columbia. 10:17-19) The intertwining of cosmic consciousness and compassionate morality is manifest by a certain coherence between the intuition of St. our willingness to recognize the sacred character of habitat. Berry. The astonishing thing about our deepening understanding of reality over the last four or five decades is the degree to which it confirms and reinforces so many of the older moral insights of man. a Catholic convert of the deepest spirituality. chastity. our capacity for the awesome. and the heavens thereof even so shall another come: and there is no end to my works. 1988) The final witness is Thomas Merton (1915-1968). and obedience. for they are mine and I know them.. Moses 7:28-33) Deep within the Jewish and Christian tradition is the impulse of sensitivity toward the alien: "When a stranger resides with you in your land. The Dream of the Earth. blindly breaking down delicate relationships of existence. providing him with food and clothing.. Paul. As scientists Barbara Jackson and Rene Dubos put it: There is something clarifying and irresistible in plain scientific fact. I the Lord am your God. you shall not wrong him. drawn in the main from the study of human societies and behavior. Creator of all. St... and innumerable are they unto man. "How is it that thou canst weep. For behold. could lead to destruction and death. These were. the most vital to the essayist (Jesus as God Incarnate is unfair competition). Francis and findings of biology and physics in this century. and they hate their own blood. What we learn is that they are factual descriptions of the way in which our universe actually works. And as one earth shall pass away. neither to my worlds. 35. this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Enoch sees all creation. you shall love him as yourself." (See generally T. part of a greater unity which transcends our local drives and needs. 37-39) In a later passage of this work." And again: "One of the finest moments in our new sensitivity to the natural world is our discovery of the Earth as a living organism. said: "If the earth does grow inhospitable toward human presence. The stranger who resides with you shall be as one of your citizens. Moses 1:27. but all things are numbered unto me. but ." Enoch.. They told us that aggression and violence. seeing that thou art holy. there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. the Cistercians or Trappists." (Deut. They told us that all living things are held together in a most intricate web of interdependence. for you were strangers in the Land of Egypt. and from all eternity to eternity?" God says: "These are thy brethren.. and sees God weeping: "The God of Heaven looked upon the residue of his people and he wept.. our sense of gratitude. they are without affection..." (Lev. You too must love the stranger. And there are many that now stand. it is primarily because we have lost our sense of courtesy toward the earth and its inhabitants.. and Mahatma Gandhi. . 33.. he took vows not only of poverty. 85. (Jackson & Dubos. San Francisco: Sierra Club Book. Only One Earth. p. 1972) Father Thomas Berry... a noted biologist. wept. for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. And to thy brethren have I said that they should love one another . Smith portrays a dialogue between Enoch and God. Merton was born in Prades.. The philosophers told us we were one. (Pearl of Great Price. BUT NOT ALTERED
." ( Id. in the Catalan country near the Spanish border. Taking vows in one of Catholicism’s strictest orders. 19:33-34) Deuteronomy repeats the injunction of Leviticus: "For the Lord your God . shocked that God Almighty. but silence.

since he claimed several as the "high point. Ceylon: "Surely. He also linked this message of deep spirituality to a social awareness that propelled him into a sometimes unwilling spiritual leader to those opposed to war and in favor of human rights. Another might be among his last writings. God Himself glorified in becoming a member of the human race." (The Asian Journal of Thomas Merton. a youthful spiritual autobiography of the genre of Augustine’s Confessions and Bunyan’s writings. at the corner of Fourth and Walnut. One might also choose his account of his decision to join the Trappists.. that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers. 1975.. If only we could see each other that way all the time.pp.. Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts. His Seven Storey Mountain. and Central American revolutionaries and politicians of every variety. Deciding upon his conversion story is not easy. I know and have seen what I was obscurely looking for.read Christians of all time. where he saw the sitting and the reclining statues of the Buddha at Polonnaruwa. that they were mine and I was theirs.. The door swings out upon a vast sea of darkness and of prayer. of spurious self-isolation.. yet. First. The sense of liberation from an illusory difference was such a relief and such a joy to me that I almost laughed out loud. I mean. the old clock ticks in the tower.. . I don’t know what else remains but I have now seen and have pierced through the surface and have got beyond the shadow and the disguise. Doubleday Image Book. became an instant bestseller worldwide and is considered a spiritual classic. 1966) And the end and the beginning: Now I shall ascend to the top of this religious city. his vision of humanity at the corner of Fourth and Walnut in Louisville. with all that. and Hildegard von Bingen to Evelyn Underhill. with Mahabalipuram and Palonnaruwa my Asian pilgrimage had come clear and purified itself. Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race. can reach . . as related in Seven Storey Mountain. and gaze upon the ancient bells. 235-36. the moment of my death? Will you open a door upon the great forest and set my feet upon a
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.. He spoke the language of a universal spirituality. no more greed . twisted stair into the belfry.. He spoke the language of the young with the wisdom of the past and he was transparent. no more cruelty.. only believed and understood. with good reason. New York: pp. If only they could all see themselves as they really are.. . . though it is a race dedicated to many absurdities and one which makes many terrible mistakes. There would be no more war. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.." Kerr and Mulder.. It was like waking from a dream of separateness. the person that each one is in God’s eyes. but with a style that allowed this century to understand the message of Saints from Augustine to Boehme. 156-58. He corresponded with people as varied as His Holiness.. A member of the human race! To think that such a commonplace realization should suddenly seem like news that one holds the winning ticket in a cosmic sweepstake. the Dalai Lama and Joan Baez. Teresa of Avila. I flash the light into the mystery that keeps it going.. for hospitalization: In Louisville. the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire . The darkness stirs with a flurry of wings high above me in the gloomy engineering that holds the steeple together.. He seemed to be constitutionally incapable of subterfuge. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all these people. . But this cannot be seen. in the center of the shopping district.. no more hatred.) But we will choose two others. Merton’s appeal among all Christian traditions and across boundaries of other religions is enormous. leaving its modern history behind. the perennial philosophy. Will it come like this. Nearer at hand. Merton. The whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream. whether or not he intended always to be. BUT NOT ALTERED
. I climb the trembling. John of the Cross. New York: New Directions. .. I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other. where he had gone from the monastery at Gethesemene. chose his account of his conversion to Catholicism. on his final and fatal Asian journey.. (T. And now my whole being breathes the wind which blows through the belfry and my hand is on the door through which I see the heavens.

the search for truth. would you not employ great teachers and teachings to guide a primitive and promising species to this crucial knowledge? Would such humans not naturally create great religions and churches to enshrine and pass down such guidance to their descendants. These laws – which simply must have deep significance to cosmically evolved lifeforms – must ultimately be based upon the emotion of love. 1953) ___
I believe that we humans. Merton. we have been taught. achieving respect instead of fear in the face of difference and diversity. would we not employ similar types of educational processes to impress systems of belief? If you were the proprietor of a nursery school called human civilization on a planet called Earth. 359-360 New York: Harcourt. however imperfectly? And could you allow your students to advance beyond their nursery without clear demonstration of this wisdom learned?
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. In the past several thousand years. Brace and Jovanovich. There can be no serious question that love and truth are significant to the purposes and the unfolding of the Cosmos. say. and take me out among the stars? (T. and some have learned. like all forms of life everywhere. attempting to "groom" a relationship with a younger species of life called humanity? If a million years from now we chose to groom. The Sign of Jonas. the laws of life. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Since it would not be possible to viscerally appreciate the scientific truth and significance of this assertion literally until late in this century. are students. pp.ladder under the moon. how can scientists possibly be so hubris as to discount the hypothesis that great world religions have – as billions of faithful believe – been fostered by more highly evolved beings. the most basic laws of nature. a more sophisticated descendent of the species chimpanzee into a more mature form of life.

The Las Cruces Citizen reported on May 22. crescent. The rocket carrying a warhead installed by the Naval Research Laboratory was spotted at its landing about 55 miles from the launching site where it was fired at 4:09 PM. the number of bright "fire circles" increased and filled the sky.) that was translated in part: "In the year 22. sixth hour of the day . blamed "peculiar phenomena" for the erratic test flight of a German V-2 rocket launched May 15. incidents were the "flying saucers" reported by Kenneth Arnold near Mt.. wedge and cigarshaped aerial vehicles.000 B. oval." with a "J. In his classic 1965 book. could move in any direction and traveled on some kind of ray. B.5 feet." A rod is defined as 16." Those stone carvings depict cylindrical-shaped objects in the sky upon which humanoid figures stand. of the third month of winter.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. 1952. The term "MAJIC. Over several days." no sound. and a size estimated to be "one rod long and wide. flying vehicles called vimanas which made loud noise. the scribes of the House of Life found it was a circle of fire that was coming in the sky. J. New Mexico House Representative for District 37 in Las Cruces. C. New Mexico in the first week of July 1947. Truman in a classified Executive Order on September 24.. unusual entities such as the six-fingered and sixtoed giants of Gath and other tall beings with glowing faces and long white robes that suddenly appear and disappear. Division Z was involved in the TOP SECRET nuclear weapons development at Los Alamos in the early 1940s." Throughout centuries before World War II. Commanding Officer of White Sands. French astronomer and computer scientist Jacques Vallee cited University of Peking. Originally.that discs sometimes were present when there were problems." might have been derived from the word MAGIC. C. According to a TOP SECRET/MAJIC "Briefing Document: Operation MAJESTIC-12 Prepared for President-Elect Dwight D. China discoveries of granite carvings "possibly made in 45. Washington and the alleged crash of one or two UFOs between Corona and Roswell. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Andrew Kissner." a TOP SECRET Research and Development /Intelligence operation known as Majestic-12 was established by President Harry S. 1947 under the headline "Peculiar Phenomena Is Blamed as V-2 Rocket Goes Astray" that Lt. The Pharaoh and his army watched as "these fire circles ascended higher in the sky towards the south. The most famous U. The Mahabharata and the Ramayana epic poems of India describe events more than three thousand years ago that mention round. 1947 at White Sands Proving Ground which landed only six miles east of Alamogordo at the town of Indian Springs. as a collective code name for cryptology and its super secret codebreakers. Turner. Col." The Bible has many references to "pillars of fire. Walter Anderson. Rainier. Harold R. Eisenhower: (EYES ONLY) 18 November." which was used in the 1930s by Director of Naval Intelligence. After World War II Throughout 1947 there were hundreds of eyewitness sightings of round." There was also "a foul odor. had an Egyptian papyrus from Thutmose III (1504-1450 B. researched early United States efforts to collect and analyze flying discs. Le Poer Trench reported in his 1960 book The Sky People that the former director of the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican. Another European researcher. discs and other unusual machines in earth’s skies and waters have been reported around the world. A crew was sent out immediately to recover the rocket body and warhead. He suggests that the terms MAJIC and MJ-12 might also be associated with the Manhattan (Engineering District) Joint Chiefs of Staff Integrated Command – (Z Division. Anatomy of A Phenomenon. 1947 to study and assess the unidentified flying object mystery. Ezekiel’s "large cloud glowing with fire" that contained wheels within wheels." Isaiah’s whirlwind chariots of fire. Professor Alberto Tulli. with a "G. Group) 12. S.

3. Vannevar Bush. 9. 12. "On 07 July. Scientific Adviser to President Truman and Chairman of the National Defense Resources Commission. 1947. developer of radar and navigation systems. Hillenkoetter. businessman and close friend of President Truman’s. Many of these came from highly credible military and civilian sources. Although this was not the first known sighting of such objects. Chairman of Harvard University’s Department of Astronomy. Air Force General Nathan F. a civilian pilot flying over the Cascade Mountains in the State of Washington observed nine flying disc-shaped aircraft traveling in formation at a high rate of speed. attorney. 2. Air Force Chief of Staff Hoyt Sanford Vandenberg. head of the Air Material Command at Wright Field (later WrightPatterson AFB). appointed by President Truman to be the first Secretary of Defense after the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947. a secret operation was begun to assure recovery of the wreckage of this object for scientific study. Director of the Anti-Aircraft and Guided Missiles Branch of the Army Artillery School and Commanding General of Sandia Base. These had fallen to earth about two miles east of the wreckage site. Menzel. Later he was an honorary director of the McDonnell Douglas Corp. headed the Central Intelligence Group in 1946 that became the Central Intelligence Agency in 1947. Berkner. These reports resulted in independent efforts by several different elements of the military to ascertain the nature and purpose of these objects in the interests of national defense. Also under that Act. Navy Admiral Roscoe H. 1947. 10. it was the first to gain widespread attention in the public media. Army General Robert Montague. All four were dead and badly decomposed due to action
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Albuquerque. took James Forrestal’s place in the MJ-12 group in 1950 after Defense Secretary Forrestal’s death. the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was organized from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the Central Intelligence Group (CIG) which had played important roles in cryptanalysis during both world wars. 5. Dayton. organized the International Geophysical Year in 1950 and created the Distant Early Warning radar system.By 1952 and the change of administrations. Secretary of the Army. Army General Walter Bedell Smith. New Mexico. A number of witnesses were interviewed and there were several unsuccessful attempts to utilize aircraft in efforts to pursue reported discs in flight. Gordon Gray. Public reaction bordered on near hysteria at times. electrical engineer. Twining. 6. Special Assistant to President Truman and Director of the Psychological Strategy Board for the CIA. the forerunner of the CIA. Hundreds of reports of sightings of similar objects followed. 11. aeronautical engineer and Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Aerospace. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 1949 at Bethesda Naval Hospital after falling four stories through a plate glass window. The following is a partial history of 1947 UFOB events from the MJ-12 briefing paper for President-Elect Eisenhower: "On 24 June. aerial reconnaissance discovered that four small human-like beings had apparently ejected from the craft at some point before it exploded. electrical engineer. Lloyd V. 4. former Director of the Central Intelligence Group (CIG). 8. Souers. little of substance was learned about the objects until a local rancher reported that one had crashed in a remote region of New Mexico located approximately seventy-five miles northwest of Roswell Army Air Base (now Walker Field). The dozen scientists. James Vincent Forrestal. Sidney W. During the course of this operation. "In spite of these efforts. first Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. 7. Ohio and later became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. military leaders and businessmen assigned to the TOP SECRET/MAJIC Majestic-12 (MJ-12) Research and Development/Intelligence group were listed in this order in the Eisenhower briefing document (Appendix 1): 1. Jerome Hunsaker. Donald H. Died on May 22. President Truman had already signed the National Security Act in July 1947 which created the National Security Council.

to avoid having to discuss the dissections and storage of more than one type of being. Menzel. as well as the obvious international and technological considerations and the ultimate need to avoid a public panic at all costs.Eyes Only) should be held in continued readiness should the need to make a public announcement present itself. "A need for as much additional information as possible about these craft. (See Attachment ‘B’.’ be adopted as the standard term of reference for these creatures until such time as a more definitive designation can be agreed upon. (Vannevar) Bush acting on the direct orders of the President (Truman). as well as a total lack of metallic wiring. "Since it is virtually certain that these craft do not originate in any country on earth. consider it more likely that we are dealing with beings from another solar system entirely. the biological and evolutionary processes responsible for their development has apparently been quite different than those observed or postulated in homo-sapiens. 1947) that although these creatures are human-like in appearance. most notably Dr. a significant upsurge in the surveillance activity of these craft beginning in May and continuing through the autumn of this year (1952) has caused considerable concern that new developments may be imminent. "Numerous examples of what appear to be a form of writing were found in the wreckage.) Civilian and military witnesses in the area were debriefed. The operation is currently being conducted under the code name BLUE BOOK.’ or ‘EBEs. (Detlev) Bronk.)" Other sources and documents indicate that in the late 1940s several different and unusual craft were retrieved from New Mexico and elsewhere not mentioned in the Eisenhower briefing.by predators and exposure to the elements during the approximately one week time period which had elapsed before their discovery. or similar recognizable electronic components. It is for these reasons.) The wreckage of the craft was also removed to several different locations. It was the tentative conclusion of this group (30 November. contingency plan MJ-1949-04PP/78 (Top Secret . resulted in a preliminary consensus (19 September. 1950 Federal Bureau of Investigation Memorandum to FBI Director Hoover said: "An
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. 1947) that the disc was most likely a short range reconnaissance craft. In order to preserve security. (See Attachment ‘E’.) It is assumed that the propulsion unit was completely destroyed by the explosion which caused the crash. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 1947. that the Majestic-12 Group remains of the unanimous opinion that imposition of the strictest security precautions should continue without interruption into the new administration. A similar analysis of the four dead occupants was arranged by Dr. propellers. Dr. their performance characteristics and their purpose led to the undertaking known as U. jets or other conventional methods of propulsion and guidance. Bronk’s team has suggested the term ‘Extra-terrestrial Biological Entities. Air Force Project SIGN in December. This conclusion was based for the most part on the craft’s size and the apparent lack of any identifiable provisioning. although some scientists. Efforts to decipher these have remained largely unsuccessful. In addition. (See Attachment ‘C’. S. 1948. with (sic) liason maintained through the Air Force officer who is head of the project. Research along these lines has been complicated by the complete absence of identifiable wings. A special scientific team took charge of removing these bodies for study. A March 22. "Implications for the National Security are of continuing importance in that the motives and ultimate intentions of these visitors remain completely unknown. considerable speculation has centered around what their point of origin might be and how they get here. The description of decayed bodies might have been deliberate misinformation. (sic) liason between SIGN and Majestic-12 was limited to two individuals within the Intelligence Division of Air Material Command whose role was to pass along certain types of information through channels. "A covert analytical effort organized by General (Nathan) Twining and Dr.) Equally unsuccessful have been efforts to determine the method of propulsion or the nature or method of transmission of the power source involved. even for Eisenhower. At the same time. and news reporters were given the effective cover story that the object had been a misguided weather research balloon. Mars was and remains a possibility. vacuum tubes. (See Attachment ‘F’. (See Attachment ‘G’. SIGN evolved into Project GRUDGE in December.

BUT NOT ALTERED
. and if I’m no closer. 1948 January 7. It’s going up now and forward as fast as I am.’ No sound was heard from it. came a report from an airfield at Columbus. approximately 50 feet in diameter. Ohio that a glowing disc was seen hurtling across the sky at an estimated speed of 550 miles an hour. It glowed from white to amber.the saucers were found in New Mexico due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar setup in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanism of the saucers. It’s directly ahead of me." Mantell continued to climb. If that historian also studied U. observers reported: ‘A flaming red cone trailing a gaseous green mist tore through the sky at 7:55 PM (19:55 hours). Kentucky." UFOs or UFOBs (unidentified flying objects) were frequently reported in the United States and around the planet.. led by Captain Thomas Mantell. . about 5 PM (1700 hours). There were different descriptions of the same oddly shaped aerial craft. The three planes had no oxygen aboard as they began to climb toward the unidentified craft. It’s going too fast. and umbrella-shaped. conical or teardrop-shaped changing to round. and it finally faded and lowered towards the horizon.
Writer Harold Wilkins in his 1954 book Flying Saucers On The Attack wrote about the Mantell case: "On the day of the crash. three P-51s were scrambled to identify the UFO. That’s 360 miles an hour. "At the Clinton County Army Air Base at Wilmington. This was at Lockbourne air base and the observers said the disc was followed from the observation tower for more than twenty minutes.’
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. but the other two pilots radioed: "This strange object is too high for us to catch.000 feet. who reported a high-flying UFO moving west at high speed. At one time it seemed to ‘motion like an elevator. An eyewitness who saw the crash said that Mantell’s P-51 went into a dive and began to disintegrate a few thousand feet above the ground. A similar craft was described in a 1954 War Department training manual about "Extraterrestrial Entities and Technology..investigator for the Air Forces stated that three so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico. Owensboro and Irvington. 1948 – 1998: Chronological Highlights Concerning Unidentified Flying Objects If a future historian studied world newspapers from the last half of the 20th Century. Fort Knox. Ohio. I’ll abandon chase. It was white and orange and emitted an exhaust some five times its own length. Recovery and Disposal" in a section labeled "Description of Craft. The thing looks metallic and of tremendous size. The base commander and a number of other observers watched the object through binoculars." (See: 1954 April below. They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers. The police relayed the information to the control tower of Godman Air Force Base near Fort Knox.) At Godman AFB. and traveled in level flight. the Kentucky State Police received many phone calls from residents in Maysville. he or she would find that unusual sky objects referred to as "flying saucers. I’m going up to 20. appeared round or oval. Mantell radioed the tower: "The object is traveling at half my speed and 12 o’clock high. perhaps from different angles: silvery-white "ice cream cone" tipped with red. Kentucky — Shortly after noon. I’m going to close in right now for a good look. a chronological outline after 1947 would include the following highlights. Mantell was dead amid wreckage spread over a half mile area. government documents about those UFOBs and its policies of denial and misinformation to keep the public and press ignorant of the facts." Radar is a government acronym for Radio Detecting and Ranging which uses various microwave frequencies." And they turned back.’ and then appeared ‘to touch the ground. S.

" The pilots described the UFO as cigar-shaped with an underside that had a "deep blue glow. Then it came down (and) then ascended at what looked like a terrific speed. rumors spread that Mantell had been shot down by an extraterrestrial spacecraft. Or.. The answer is that it has been computed by later theodolite observations and mathematical calculations that the length of this colossal cosmic machine that smashed up Mantell and his plane was about 15. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Recovery and Disposal" in Chapter 3. as the government called them." There were "two rows of windows from which bright lights glowed. Dayton and Fairborn. Deceptive Statements: "It may become necessary to issue false statements to preserve the security of the (extraterrestrial recovery) site.. a staff sergeant and corporal saw ‘the red cone maneuvering for thirty-five minutes when it seemed to vanish over the horizon.’ The situation was the UFOs. Its function was to "collect.. Ruppelt (Chief. the DC-3 hit turbulent air. Whitted were flying an Eastern Airlines DC-3 from Houston to Atlanta at 2:45 AM when they saw a large red light headed toward them from the east. Just as the UFO flashed by about 700 feet to the right. over The Hague in Holland. Press Blackout. implemented by the Intelligence Division of the Air Material Command (AMC).. the people at ATIC (Project SIGN) decided that the time had arrived to make an ‘Estimate of the Situation. the estimate was that they were interplanetary! . collate. Chiles racked the DC-3 up into a tight left turn. The encounter was summarized by USAF Captain Edward J. The intense brightness from this phenomenon in the sky pierced through a heavy cloud layer which intermittently passed over the region."This apparition looks very much like the machine that over four hours earlier smashed Mantell and his plane.. 1948. The document pointed out that the reports hadn’t actually started with the Arnold Incident (near Mt. evaluate and distribute to interested government agencies and contractors all information concerning sightings and phenomena in the atmosphere which can be construed to be of concern to the national security. Security. Later. if not. Chiles and John B.It seemed to hang suspended in the air at intervals. A few days before on July 21. S.’ "It is to be noted that thousands of people witnessed this phenomenon.. Washington on June 24. 20 miles southwest of Montgomery. downed satellites." January 22. Ohio — Creation of Project SIGN." and a "50-foot trail or orange-red flame" shot out the back. Air Force explanation was that Mantell had been chasing Venus. Calculations by radar and the theodolite (small surveying telescope) indicated that in order to be visible to the eye in such circumstances such a stupendous machine must have been well over 500 feet in diameter! . .. But the first U. Rainier. S. The U. the code name of the first USAF investigation into UFOBs. At the same control tower. weather balloons and military aircraft are all acceptable alternatives. AMC was later renamed the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). Wright Field. Recovery Operations. Topic 12.000 feet!" After the terrible crash. Now came an amazing fact about the appearance of this phenomenal visitant: It was seen at places set apart by a distance of 180–190 miles and at an immense height. it was one of the same type. Alabama — Captain Clarence S. Meteors. Section I. Ruppelt wrote: "A few days after the DC-3 was buzzed. 1947). Dutch observers also reported a cigarshaped UFO with two parallel rows of windows. Paragraph c. the Navy said it had been testing classified Skyhook Balloons used for high-altitude photographic reconnaissance. 1951-1953) who wrote in his 1956 book The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects: "The UFO was now almost on top of them." July 24.. government’s reliance upon "balloons" to help explain away disc encounters is explained as official policy in the April 1954 War Department training manual about "Extraterrestrial Entities and Technology. Earlier reports came from a weather
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Project BLUE BOOK. Ohio (now known as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base).

" Gorman told ATIC investigators. but he couldn’t do it. After General Vandenberg destroyed SIGN’s "Estimate of the Situation. Project GRUDGE seemed to publicly concentrate on the people who reported UFOBs in an apparent effort to neutralize public interest by forcing eyewitnesses to accept natural explanations." October 1." Translation: no one outside Truman and MJ-12 were to know that extraterrestrial entities in very advanced craft were interacting with earth." the USAF changed SIGN to Project GRUDGE on February 11." After the Chiles/Whitted Sighting near Montgomery. it pulled into a sharp left bank and made a pass at the tower. Alabama. Vandenberg who did not like the conclusion and later had the report destroyed. Virginia who observed a ‘silver disc’ through his theodolite telescope. Vandenberg’s rejection of that assessment: "No definite and conclusive evidence is yet available that would prove or disprove the existence of these unidentified objects as real aircraft of unknown or unconventional configuration.observer in Richmond. a light passed on his right. Gorman was curious and closed in on the light to what he estimated was a thousand yards. Gorman followed and tried to cut inside the light’s turn to get closer to it. the report concluded that UFOBs were extraterrestrial vehicles. "I had the distinct impression that its maneuvers were controlled by thought or reason. It is unlikely that positive proof of their existence will be obtained without examination of the remains of crashed objects. The estimate received considerable attention until it reached Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. someone in government wanted the Air Force to control UFO investigations. it made a turn." Then the light turned on Gorman and came straight on a collision course. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 1949. and perhaps due to the Mantell crash and the Gorman "dog fight" with the light over Fargo.Project SIGN was re-named Project GRUDGE. and again the pilot had to dive out to prevent a collision. But. At the same time. The light was blinking on and off and Gorman thought it was six to eight inches in diameter. clearly a policy decision had been made to use misinformation and ridicule to keep the public and media out of the loop. North Dakota — It was 9:00 PM when 25-year-old 2nd Lt.’ and the English ‘ghost airplanes’ that had been picked up on radar early in 1947 proved this point. Captain Ruppelt summarized what happened next: "Suddenly the light became steady as it apparently put on power.000 feet. A final Project SIGN report reflected the tension between the extraterrestrial "estimate" and Gen. Again. Consequently. The tower had nothing on radar. Fargo. Gorman in the North Dakota Air National Guard wanted to land his F-51. Gorman dived and the "UFO passed over the ‘51 canopy with only a few feet to spare. General Vandenberg did not explain that he was a member of the TOP SECRET Research and Development/Intelligence operation known as Majestic12 appointed by President Truman in the summer of 1947 in which it was agreed that "imposition of the strictest security precautions should continue without interruption into the new administration. an F-47 pilot and three pilots in his formation who saw a ‘silver flying wing. He could not see any other shape around the light. The control tower told Gorman that a Piper Cub was close by and he saw the small airplane below him." Classified TOP SECRET. Project SIGN prepared an "Estimate of the Situation. George F. 1949 February 11 . At 7. Proof of non-existence is equally impossible to obtain unless a reasonable and convincing explanation is determined for each incident. All of a sudden the light began to climb and disappeared." Project SIGN investigators went over Gorman’s plane with a Geiger counter and found it was more radioactive than a similar airplane used for comparison.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Despite General Vandenberg’s deliberate interference with SIGN’s estimate that discs were extraterrestrial. The light zoomed up with the F-51 in hot pursuit. both the F-51 and the object turned and closed on each other head on.

General Manager of the Great Falls baseball team. but there has been speculation that it had something to do with the government’s secrets about alien life forms." Evelyn Trent said. Montana — Nicholas Mariana. BUT NOT ALTERED
. S. It did however. Its diameter was about sixty feet and a band around the middle revolved. flat section on top was revolving above a transparent cabin in which he could see four tall men working at instruments. While he filmed for about twenty seconds. GRUDGE implied that all those unidentified cases might be due to mental problems: "There are sufficient psychological explanations for the reports of unidentified flying objects to provide plausible explanations for reports not otherwise explainable. Bethesda." A large. 1949 after two years of a deteriorating mental condition." Paul Trent said he took the first photograph. speed or distance. re-wound his film. The vapor increased and "flames" that alternated red and green came out of the craft’s base. photographed two silver discs through a telephoto lens he had on his 16mm movie camera. It was also decided that government investigations gave UFOs too much credibility. Navy doctors said Forrestal suffered from "a severe depression of the type seen in operational fatigue during the war. Lago Argentino." The report concluded that the investigation of UFOs should be reduced in scope so that only those reports "clearly indicating realistic technical applications" would be submitted to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and ultimately and secretly to MJ-12. even Project GRUDGE’s final report conceded that 23% of its 244 cases were unidentified. He had become America’s first Secretary of Defense with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947 which President Harry S. and the round craft accelerated toward the northwest as he took a second photograph. James Vincent Forrestal. Both frames were snapped within thirty seconds. Colorado — An eyewitness reported a silvery-green oval disc hovered about fifty feet above a hill and then landed slowly in a ravine. Great Falls. March 18. South Table Mountain. Air Force looked at the film and dismissed it as "too dark" to distinguish
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. so the USAF issued a press release on Dec.Yet. McMinnville. May 11. Edward Ruppelt in September 1951. August 15. the organization continued to operate quietly." After considerable government and civilian testing. the Trent images are considered to be authentic photographs. Naval Hospital. Then the craft rose with a faint hum and flew off leaving bluish trails. 1950 January 29. Argentina — A rancher watched two objects come out of the sky and land. After a green light flashed beneath the landed disc. the U. However. It was very bright — almost silvery — and there was no noise or smoke. S. and GRUDGE was reassigned to USAF Capt. 1949 announcing the termination of Project GRUDGE only ten months after its start. fell through a plate glass window four stories to his death at the U. The developed film showed two circles of bright light. "and seemed to be tipped up a bit. "It was moving awfully fast. He walked to within about four hundred feet of the silver craft which gave off a greenish-blue vapor and "an intense smell of burning benzine. However. Secretary of Defense. Truman signed in July. it shot upward at very high speed leaving behind a pungent smell. In October 1950. Oregon — Paul and Evelyn Trent watched and photographed a disc at about 8 PM over their home. his secretary also watched. S. 27. "The object was coming in toward us." What exactly provoked the Secretary to plunge through the glass window to his death is still a mystery. The men looked at the rancher and shone a light in his direction at the same time a blue light illuminated the craft. May 22. suggest that the Psychological Warfare Division be informed since mass hysteria could ensue if Cold War enemies placed aerial objects over the United States and started rumors that they were alien craft. Forrestal resigned effective March 28. The couple could not guess size. but Paul Trent said. Maryland — First U. its data remained classified.

films. hesitated. Public controversy raged for years while behind the scenes the Air Force actions were consistent with the MJ-12 policy of secrecy and denial to protect national security. metallic" object "vertically marked on sides. Only then could the mechanic move again.000 and 27. Mt. reminiscent of the Gorman case over Fargo. the Naval Photographic Interpretation Laboratory was conducting a frame-by-frame evaluation.recognizable objects. The pilot said he could not see any silhouette around the white light which he estimated to be six to eight inches in diameter and blinked on and off. the Tremonton film was subjected to computer image processing by a civilian group known as
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the Air Force changed GRUDGE to a more public Project BLUE BOOK which again emphasized natural explanations for the public. 1952 March — USAF Captain Edward Ruppelt had quietly continued Project GRUDGE investigations after its official demise." Meanwhile. or aircraft. Tremonton. Four brown-skinned men emerged from the craft wearing black shiny suits and see-through helmets. while the genuine and secret analyses of photographs." The public side of the Air Force’s Project BLUE BOOK reported the objects were probably "a flock of birds.000 feet. The craft hung in the air motionless for seventeen minutes above Mt. Kilimanjaro’s 19. he shot about 40 feet of color film of the aerial objects before they disappeared. Africa — Crew of a British airliner reported a "bullet-shaped. June 19. Kenya. Naval analysts concluded that the objects glowed. his wife and two children were driving on a highway near Tremonton around 11 AM when they saw a dozen objects moving in the sky. Then the craft rose higher to 40. Newhouse." The bullet object glowed brightly with a colored radiance and seemed to rapidly whirl on itself. drawings and eyewitness interviews from around the world were carried out by secret intelligence units. Newhouse was an experienced photographer who had worked more than a thousand hours on aerial photograph missions and twenty-two hundred hours as chief photographer. However. An F-47 on combat air patrol followed the light between 10. Utah — Naval Chief Warrant Officer Delbert C. Tennessee — Operated by the Atomic Energy Commission and so sensitive that air traffic above the lab was prohibited. a Ground Observer Corps (GOC) spotter reported a slow-moving light over the lab. After studying the film for a total of one thousand hours." There was a large "fin" at the "rear. In 1976. The men seemed to make repairs on the craft’s deck. Sonderborg. 1951. in March 1952. the light would go steady as if increasing in power and come straight at the F-47. Kilimanjaro. He approached the object to within 150 feet and found himself paralyzed. Using a three-inch telescopic lens.710 feet mountain top as the crew watched it through binoculars. paused and kept rising vertically until it was out of sight. Eight smaller objects also came out of the craft and hovered above it. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 1951 Winter. He had a Bell and Howell 16mm movie camera in his car trunk. June 21. were under intelligent control. and then rose rapidly out of sight. Mariana was outraged when he received the film back and insisted that about 35 frames were missing which most clearly showed the discs spinning. Then. balloons. one inverted on top of the other.000 feet. Oak Ridge Laboratory. July 2. He described them as flat and circular "like two pie pans. North Dakota in 1948. Then the machine flew up to about 300 feet. He also noticed the birds stopped singing and the cows weren’t moving either. Denmark — A mechanic heard a whistling sound and saw a craft land in a meadow. At times. and were not birds.

Project BLUE BOOK’s spokesman. it appeared to be as large as an SNJ and had a greenish tail that looked to be five to six times as long as the light’s diameter. Cuba — A Navy pilot was making practice passes for night fighters when he saw an unusual orange light. but Interceptors Fail to Make Contact." Under pressure from the news media. so I turned north. Then the lights moved away. At 3 AM. in contradiction to Major General Samford. July 19-20. D. Although the UFOs had been present for several hours. The UFOs were calculated to be about five to seven miles from the observer. but
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Major General John Samford. At this time. One of the pilots said the blue-white lights were extremely bright as they formed a ring around him. I held a steady course south trying to estimate a perpendicular between the light and myself.000 feet. it started a left turn. the UFOs reappeared. but the radar control room had no answer. Jet fighters arrived around 3:30 AM and the UFOs disappeared. "At 12. About twenty minutes later. Further. July 27.000 feet and in a left turn. Delaware.Ground Saucer Watch (GSW). Project BLUE BOOK classified the objects as "unknown. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the light appeared to move west.000 feet I stopped climbing. On July 28. Numerous airline crews also reported strange lights that moved up. Into the next day. they disappeared just as the two jets appeared on the radar screens. During the first part of the chase. At the exact moment the interceptors disappeared from the radarscopes. As I was not gaining distance. Washington radar operators had them on their scopes. only to reappear after the jets left. he filed this report: "As the light approached the city from the east. also rejected the temperature inversion explanation. The frightened pilot asked what he should do." September 24. I then reversed my turn from left to right and the light also reversed. the objects would suddenly accelerate at high speeds and stop in the air. — Between 11:40 PM on the 19th and 5 AM on the 20th. C. Erratically. the closest I got to the light was 8 to 10 miles. Radar controllers at Andrews AFB also tracked the unidentified targets and at one point visually saw a huge. But the press was not told that the chief radar controller confirmed the UFOs made strong and bright radar blips consistent with solid moving objects. were 50-foot diameter discs that were thicker in the middle than at the edges. Unidentified targets were tracked on radar until dawn. The light was moving north. the aircraft were sent back to Wilmington. It took 40 degrees of bank to keep the nose of my plane on the light. Later. the New York Times headlined "‘Objects’ Outstrip Jets Over Capital – Spotted Second Time in Week by Radar. USAF interceptors were scrambled. then south over the base. Four to twelve UFOs were tracked on radar at various times. As I reached 10." The media accepted that government explanation without much criticism. two radarscopes at Washington National Airport picked up eight unidentified targets moving 100 to 300 mph and violating the restricted air space above the White House and the Capitol. The same thing happened one week later over the Capitol at 9 PM on July 26. Albert Chop. At this time. down and sideways which correlated with erratically moving radar blips. I estimated the light to be in a 10 to 15 mile orbit. 1952. I started to intercept. and traveled in a controlled formation. it appeared to be at 15. 1952. not the diffuse and shapeless blobs produced by temperature inversions. explained that the unknown targets observed over Washington were the result of "temperature inversions. the Air Force held a press conference on July 29. who had been an eyewitness during the Washington UFO flyovers. Chief of Air Force Intelligence. 1952. After about ten minutes. As I turned. I again tried to intercept. This time the UFOs remained visible on radar as well. but the light was still climbing faster than I was. Immediately after he landed. at 2 AM. This tail was seen several times in the next ten minutes in periods of (about) 5 to 30 seconds each. Washington. more jet interceptors took off from Wilmington. fiery red-orange sphere.

and seemed concentrated again in New Mexico and Arizona in 1951 and following years.the light appeared to climb rapidly at a 60-degree angle. Back at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio. I was so close that the light blanked out the airfield below me. I and my two crewmen all had a good view of the light as it passed the moon. but ground radar saw nothing. The Robertson Panel was named after its chairman. a pilot of a patrolling F-94 spotted a light while flying at 26. November 4. Dr. the light appeared to slow down at about 10. On November 2. Some government insiders assert that Truman’s Majestic-12 Special Studies Group and its successors over the years have reported about disc and extraterrestrial biological entities directly to the National Security Council. New Mexico and Arizona — During 1952. ATIC’s main interest was to see if the green fireballs were focused most in New Mexico where many of America’s most sensitive radar and missile testing facilities were. We considered the fact that it might be an aerologist’s balloon. white "thing" with a dim reddish light coming from two "windows. Two were on a 90-degree collision course and the light traveled at tremendous speed across my bow. A mathematician and physicist. Richland. Washington. Also. ATIC also wanted to know if the green fireballs had something to do with the UFOB phenomenon.000 feet. Suddenly it started a dive and I followed. a world authority on meteorites and Director of the University of New Mexico’s Institute of Meteoritics.000 feet. It climbed to 35. H. classified continuity. NSA reports to the Secretary of Defense who sits on the National Security Council (NSC). but we did not see a silhouette. bright green fireballs light up night skies. national security. — President Harry S. Several times the jet altered course because collision with the round light seemed imminent. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Truman abolished the Armed Forces Security Agency (AFS) and created the National Security Agency (NSA). Lincoln La Paz. December 10. had been consulting with intelligence officers at Kirtland AFB about what the green fireballs might be. P. 1952. or some related subsection of officials who are not elected or appointed and who have more permanent.000 feet. I deliberately placed it between the moon and myself three times to try to identify a solid body. many airmen and scientists saw mysterious. a green ball larger and brighter than a full moon "exploded in a tremendous paroxysm of light. When the F-94 attempted to close on the object again. even though he had found spots where the trajectory should have hit the earth if they were meteorites. "Prior to this. the color was too green and he couldn’t find any fragments on the ground. it would reverse direction and dive away. while the light was still at approximately 15. We could see no solid body. On the third run. in 1950." After the pilot lost visual contact. "During its descent. D. we would have rapidly caught up with and passed a balloon. extended to the eastern U. Robertson was also Director of the Weapons System Evaluation Group in the Office of the Secretary of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. losing it at 1. Washington — At the Atomic Energy Commission’s Hanford nuclear plant. continuing a trend that had begun in 1948 when green fireballs were reported throughout the southwestern United States. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) serves the NSC. La Paz said the green fireballs were not electrostatic phenomena and were not meteorites because the trajectory was too flat. C. Dr. The pilot closed on the object which he described as a large. round. he got a radar lock-on." November 2.500 feet.000 feet. at which time I made three runs on it. Robertson. then started a rapid descent. with no sound" over New Mexico. S. 1953 January — A small group of five eminent scientists were brought together by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to study UFO reports and to determine whether the phenomenon was a threat to U. S.

Two Aboard. A USAF report said.No trace was ever found of the missing men. the CIA finally declassified the report and made copies available. the F-89 or the UFO. army ordnance test station director Frederick C. Dir. of the Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) H. Clark and CIA agent Philip G.Defense and was on the CIA payroll. the panel examined selected cases from Project BLUE BOOK files and screened the 1952 Tremonton. training and public education designed to prepare the material defenses and the morale of the country to recognize most promptly and to react most effectively to true indications of hostile intent or action. "The plane was followed by radar until it merged with an object 70 miles off Keweenaw Point in upper Michigan.. Other Robertson Panel members included physicist and Noble Prizewinner Luis W. In addition to the five panel members. and astronomer and astrophysicist Thornton Page. Montana 16mm films of aerial discs. who was on the Brookhaven Lab staff. S. . "It seems incredible. New York. the five scientists discussed tentative conclusions and recommendations and commissioned Robertson to draft a report which they edited. On the fourth day. not officially a panel member." 1955 August 21. BUT NOT ALTERED
. who was Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins University Operations Research Office. That the national security agencies institute policies on intelligence. Hopkinsville. in these parlous times." The panel proposed a public education program to train people to identify correctly-known objects and suggested that the Air Force continue BLUE BOOK with an emphasis on convincing the public there was nothing unusual in the skies. Over three days. Michigan — An F-89 jet from Kinross AFB in Michigan was asked to investigate an unidentified radar blip. the UFO blip suddenly merged with the F-89 blip. Marshall Chadwell. but the blip apparently just swallowed our F-89.. physicist Samuel Goudsmit. William M. and "b. who served as reporter for the panel. Vanishes Over Lake Superior. November 23. results in a threat to the orderly functioning of the protective organs of the body politic. Neasham and Harry Woo." Even the Chicago Tribune headlined "Jet. Also present were Air Force officers Edward Ruppelt and Dewey Fournet and Navy Photo Interpretation Laboratory representatives R. Deputy Assistant Director of the OSI Ralph L. That the national security agencies take immediate steps to strip the Unidentified Flying Objects of the special status they have been given and the aura of mystery they have unfortunately acquired. The panel concluded that there was no evidence of a direct physical threat to national security and that the "continued emphasis on the reporting of these phenomena. other unofficial participants included astronomer J. The CIA was represented by Asst. Sixteen years later in December 1974. Garland." The Robertson Panel therefore recommended: "a. who was one of the directors of the Brookhaven National Laboratories in Long Island. Berkner. As Air Defense operators watched their radar scopes. geophysicist and radar specialist Lloyd F. teenager Billy Ray Sutton told his family he
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Alvarez. who was a consultant to the USAF. Kentucky — At about 7 PM. was not asked to sign the report with which he disagreed anyway. Strong. Allen Hynek. Utah and 1950 Great Falls. He thought it unreasonable to write a conclusion about UFOs in four days when he himself had spent more than four years in the field and did not understand the phenomenon. and Commanding General of the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). Astronomer J. Allen Hynek. Kinross AFB spokesmen said the missing plane was equipped with two rubber rafts and that each officer wore a life jacket. One official said. Durant. Lake Superior.

July 20. . October 15. a claw-like hand reached down at him from the roof. for they were enveloped by a powerful reddish phosphorescence (or fluorescent light. Francisco de Sales. The bullets seemed to ricochet off as if the creatures were covered with invisible armor... Sau Palo. blond hair and wore tight. Each had long. Then a second creature appeared at a window. France — Two brothers and three other witnesses saw an aerial object about twenty-five feet in diameter that glowed yellow-orange with a red dome and rotating fins underneath. the disc took off leaving the ground blackened and branches broken. the creature turned over in a somersault and ran off. The creature in the tree floated to the ground and ran away. Panorama City. Ubatuba. thick at the bases and pointed at the tips. Another entity was on a tree branch.. Galt.watched a large. the frightened family left the house and drove in panic to the Hopkinsville police station. egg-shaped object. a dog started barking. They were three metal shafts. 1956 April 8. I could not distinguish their colour.7% heavier than ordinary pure magnesium. About an hour later. At the moment when the machine reduced speed to land. like that of a luminous sign) of the same shade as the front headlight. But when he went out to see if the creature was dead. "I could see the shape of the machine clearly. Brazil — Eyewitnesses saw a "flying disc" explode into thousands of fiery fragments which fell onto the beach and sea. The eyes were large.Then it began to drop towards the ground very slowly. this light changed to a greenish colour.it was a strange machine. which was like a large elongated egg with three metal spurs in front (one in the middle and one on each side). Its ears were enormous and pointed. State. Former NASA scientist Paul Hill calculated that the density anomaly could be explained if the metal were the pure isotope 26Magnesium not found naturally on earth. After thirty minutes. When the creature was about twenty feet away. Seemingly unharmed.. which corresponded to a diminution in the speed of rotation of that revolving part. On the way. September 14. rather rounded in shape and surrounded by little purplish lights and with an enormous red headlight in front. county and city police drove to the farmhouse. The red ball came down from the sky and hovered at tree height and then left at high speed. Canada — A man saw a flash of light in the sky and a circular object making a whirring sound landed surrounded by "flames.. Elboeuf. At the farmhouse. California — Three witnesses described a huge. . Out of it came three beings nearly seven feet tall. a 23-year-old farmer was plowing with his tractor at 1 AM. Editor of Flying Saucer Review in England. The family saw a creature about four feet tall with long arms raised over its round head.. flying towards me at a terrific speed. One of the men shot right through the screen and assumed a direct hit. round and glowing yellow. Brazil — Antonio Villas Boas. two of the men shot at it with a gun. the police could not find any humanoids or landed craft. bright object land a few hundred feet from the well outside the house." The disc appeared to have a spinning outer section that moved around a stationary central dome. This case was classified as unidentified by Project BLUE BOOK. On the upper part of the machine there was something which was revolving at great speed and also giving off a powerful fluorescent reddish light. green suits. The metal tested as nearly 100% pure magnesium and was 6. ball-shaped object. BUT NOT ALTERED
. 1957 July 30. The men fired at both creatures. At about 11 PM. one of the officers saw what he later described as a strange shower of meteors coming from the direction of the Sutton homestead and two passed overhead with a loud swishing sound. which at this point seemed to
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Ontario. He saw a "red star in the sky" that became "a very luminous." The deposition by Boas given to journalist Joao Martins was translated by Gordon Creighton.

Four of the six exposures showed the strange aerial disc. They were published in Brazilian newspapers on February 21. While a blue haze formed. But. Trindade Island. 1945. Army even admitted that a huge. being slanted outwards. flattened sphere. Egypt. That public dismissal was consistent with Majestic-12’s official policy of cover-up and denial of an extraterrestrial presence in the interest of maintaining United States national security. Stratford-on-Avon.be taking on the shape of a round dish or a flattened cupola" that never stopped turning even when the craft was still. For several weeks. disc-shaped object with a dome on
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. when the prints were taken to the President of Brazil. round object come out of the sky and land about three hundred feet away. May 20. Two different military police patrols saw the bright object. Then the craft sped away and disappeared in the distance.000 mph. five weeks after they had been taken. a disk was seen in the sky and one of the crew yelled. almost white (like hair bleached with peroxide). smooth. and parted in the centre." After the intercourse. When Barauna reached Rio de Janeiro." November — After the launch of the Russian Sputnik satellites in October 1957. 1958 January 16. had been converted into a floating laboratory to carry out research for the International Geophysical Year (IGY). Two days later at 5:21 AM on November 5. This early abduction case was also detailed Boas’s encounters with beings which took him into the disc where the agenda was to make Boas have sexual intercourse with a female. when the pictures were televised in the United States. Her eyes were large and blue. "That was what they wanted of me — a good stallion to improve their own stock. he made prints and turned them over. Coast Guard cutter Sebago in the Gulf of Mexico reported a bright light that circled above the ship at speeds up to 1. "Her hair was fair. The eyewitness said he was unable to move until the craft and its occupants took off again rapidly leaving a glittering trail. The U. However. 1959 January. They were analyzed by both the Navy Photo Reconnaissance Laboratory and the Cruzeiro do Sul Aero-photogrammetric Service. Its center was encircled by a large ring or platform similar in shape to the planet Saturn.S. Japan and other countries. the U. to the Brazilian Navy. S. The ship was preparing to leave Trindade Island on its return trip to Rio de Janeiro on January 16. Reports of unusual aerial craft also came from Australia. Almirante Saldanha. Barauna took six shots of the craft as it moved back and forth by a nearby mountain for about twenty seconds. The object was tracked on the ship’s radar for twenty-seven minutes. Barauna developed the film in a dark room on board. 1958. Brazil — The Brazilian Navy training ship. together with the negatives. "Flying saucer!" Barauna photographed while a hundred officers and crewmen on deck watched the glowing. On board was a civilian group of submarine explorers. more elongated than round. Tres Lomas. the incident was kept secret. France. he released them to the public personally vouching for their authenticity. The bright oval hovered near bunkers used in the first atom bomb explosion on July 16. England — Flying Saucer Review reported that a man watched a fiery. 1958. oval object ‘nearly as bright as the sun’ was spotted on November 3 at White Sands Missile Range. USAF investigators declared them to be fakes. both of which agreed the photographs were authentic. Boas said. Great Britain. disc sightings increased worldwide. including professional marine photographer Almiro Barauna. Argentina — Two hunters saw a silver-colored. Around noon. three figures emerged from the round craft and moved clumsily. BUT NOT ALTERED
. New Mexico. not very abundant. reaching to half way down her neck and with the ends curling inwards.

top resting on the ground about 450 feet away. After it took off, the grass was flattened. June 26, Boianai, Papua, New Guinea — Many mysterious sky craft had been seen over Papua in 1959. Reverend William Booth Gill, an Anglican priest and graduate of Brisbane University, was in charge of the Boianai mission station. Rev. Gill was looking at the planet Venus around 6:45 PM and saw another sparkling object that moved toward him. He yelled and thirty-seven other people at the mission joined Gill to watch the round UFO. The glowing craft came down to about 500 feet and the eyewitnesses could see its large base and a smaller "upper deck." Four legs protruded from the base and a thin shaft of blue light occasionally beamed upward from the center of the upper deck at a 45 degree angle. Four "men" appeared to be working outside on top of the craft. At 7:20 PM, the UFO rose through the cloud covering which Gill estimated to be about 2,000 feet. An hour later, the round machine reappeared and descended again. This time, it hovered at a slightly lower altitude. Three more discs appeared, moving up and down through the clouds. The first object, which Gill called the "mother ship," remained stationary for a short time before moving through the clouds and out to sea. he next night at about 6 PM in a twilight sky, the craft came back and repeated their odd maneuvers. This time the larger disc descended to an altitude of about 400 feet. Two smaller discs remained above. Noticing that one of the occupants seemed to be staring down, Rev. Gill waved. To everyone’s amazement, the figure waved back. A Papuan worker waved his arms. Two figures on the craft each raised their arms. Gill used a flashlight to send signals to the humanoids and saw the craft swing back and forth as if in reply. At 6:30 PM, Gill went to dinner. A half-hour later, the large craft was still there, but the smaller discs had disappeared. All the observers went to church for evening services. The third night on June 28, only one object hovered at low altitude and no crew members were seen. 1960 April 8, Ithaca, New York and Green Bank, West Virginia — Astronomer Frank Drake at Cornell University created and directed Project Ozma, the earliest effort in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Radio telescopes at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia were aimed at Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani. Those two yellow sequence stars both lie within eleven light years of our solar system and resemble our own sun in age and type. Thus, the greater likelihood those suns might have planets like our own solar system. When the receiver was first focused on Epsilon Eridani, a very strong signal was detected. There was great excitement in the control room. However, the mysterious pulse was later attributed by government officials to an Earth-based signal related to a secret military experiment. Or was that more calculated intelligence misinformation? That suspicion was raised by UFO investigators when Project Ozma was ended only three months later in July 1960. Later, Dr. Drake collaborated with Green Bank Observatory Director, Otto Struve, to announce the "Green Bank Formula": This equation purports to yield the number N of technically advanced civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy as a function of other astronomical, biological and psychological factors. If it is assumed that one percent of civilizations learn to live with the technology of mass destruction and themselves, then N = 1,000,000 planets and the nearest advanced civilization would be on average a few hundred light-years away from earth. September 23, Labrador — A Canadian ship reported that a cylindrical object with lighted portholes flew from the sky to the ocean surface and then descended straight down into the water off Labrador’s north coast. November 13, La Londe, France — A man woke up when a green light brightened his bedroom. He went to the window and saw a bright, round object about 18 feet in diameter at the railroad tracks 900 feet away.

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The craft was on tripod legs and emitted orange flashes. A dome on top started spinning, the tripod retracted and the round object rose silently straight up above the trees and sped out of sight. 1961 Washington, D. C., Pentagon — Lt. Col. Philip J. Corso was assigned to be Chief of the Army’s Foreign Technology Division in 1961 under the direction of General Arthur Trudeau, Head of Army Research and Development in the Pentagon. In his 1997 book The Day After Roswell, Lt. Col. Corso described how General Trudeau ordered him to take unknown technologies that had been retrieved from extraterrestrial craft and stored in Pentagon file cabinets and to get those technologies into U. S. aerospace and other private industry research and development. The goal, General Trudeau said, was to keep the advanced technologies out of the hands of Cold War enemies and all the spies that had infiltrated the Central Intelligence Agency. On Page 115, Col. Corso states: "Among the Roswell artifacts and questions and issues that arose from the Roswell crash, on my preliminary list that needed resolution for development scheduling or simple inquiries to our military scientific community were: Image intensifiers, which ultimately became ‘night vision’ Fiber optics Supertenacity fibers Lasers Molecular alignment metallic alloys Integrated circuits and microminiaturization of logic boards HARP (High Altitude Research Project) Project Horizon (moon base) Portable atomic generators (ion propulsion drive) Irradiated food "Third brain" guidance systems (EBE headbands) Particle beams ("Star Wars" antimissile energy weapons) Electromagnetic propulsion systems Depleted uranium projectiles" Continuing on Page 116, Col. Corso wrote: "General Trudeau also had relationships with the army contractors who were developing new weapons systems for the military within one part of the company while another part was harvesting some of the same technology for consumer products development. These were (such) companies (as) — Bell Labs, IBM, Monsanto, Dow, General Electric and Hughes — that General Trudeau wanted to talk to about the list of technological products that we’d compiled from our R&D Roswell file." September 19 — Betty and Barney Hill were driving toward their home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from Canada through the White Mountains after a vacation. Betty noticed a light in the sky that was big, bright and moving. She looked at it through binoculars and saw a disc from which "slowly, a red light came out on the left side of the object, followed by a similar one on the right." Barney Hill stopped the car, took the binoculars and got out to look at the "large glowing pancake ... as wide in diameter as the distance between three telephone poles along the road," as Barney later described it. He could see multi-colored lights around the periphery that changed to white. The craft swung in a silent arc directly across the road, not more than a hundred feet from him." He could see a double row of windows. "Behind the clearly structured windows, he could see the figures, at least half a dozen living beings. They seemed to be bracing themselves against the transparent windows, as the craft tilted down toward (Barney’s) direction. They were, as a group, staring directly at (Barney.) He became vaguely aware

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that they were wearing uniforms."

Barney sharpened the focus of the binoculars on one face and saw eyes he had never seen before that terrified him. He ran back to the car and drove away in a panic. "Suddenly a strange electronic-sounding beeping was heard. The car seemed to vibrate with it. It was in irregular rhythm — beep, beep — beep, beep, beep — seeming to come from behind the car in the direction of the trunk. ...(Betty and Barney) each began to feel an odd tingling drowsiness came over them." When the couple next became conscious, they were still driving in the car but now it was dawn near Concord and both their wrist watches had stopped running. They were two hours behind schedule and had no idea what happened. The following day, Barney felt an unexplained soreness on the back of his neck and noticed that his shoes had become scuffed on the tops of the toes. Later, Barney found a ring of warts around his penis and testicles. Betty discovered round, shiny spots on the paint of the car’s trunk. Ten days later, Betty began to have a series of vivid dreams in which she and Barney were taken aboard a flying saucer and medically examined by beings: "Most of the (beings) are my height ... about five feet to five feet four inches. Their chests are larger than ours; their noses were larger (longer) than the average size although I have seen people with noses like theirs — like Jimmy Durante. "Their complexions were of a gray tone; like a gray paint with a black base; their lips were of a bluish tint. Hair and eyes were very dark, possibly black. The dreams continued for five successive nights." Betty was obsessed about being exposed to radiation and contacted Pease AFB in Portsmouth, a SAC installation that had received many UFO reports in 1961. The Hills story began to seep out and eventually UFO investigators suggested that the Hills try hypnosis to find out what happened during those two missing hours. 1962 June 26, Verona, Italy — A family of three watched a silver disc the size of a full moon maneuver in the sky near Santa Anastasia church. Later that night, one of them was awakened by intense cold and green light in the room. In the window was a translucent, but sharply defined humanoid body that had a huge, hairless head. The eyewitness screamed and the entity shrank and vanished "like a TV image when one turns off the set." August 20, Duas Pontes, Brazil — A man told police he saw two spherical objects hovering six feet above ground a few meters from his house. One disc was black with an antenna and a small tail. The other disc was black and white. Both emitted a humming sound and what looked like flickering fire through an opening. The two spheres merged into one, raising dust from the ground while an acrid-smelling yellow mist spread out and enveloped the man. Then the merged craft vanished. 1963 January 4, Rome, Italy — A well-known psychiatrist saw an object on the ground in a deserted city park. It was a fifteen foot-long cylinder with a dome on top and a thick ring surrounded the cylinder. Along the side were a series of round apertures. The cylinder was about three feet above the ground supported on tripod legs. Suddenly the ring started spinning rapidly and a gust of air was felt as the craft rose a few feet above ground and then disappeared in a split second. February 20, Lecce, Italy — A young man watched through binoculars as a disc spun slowly and almost stationary about fifteen hundred feet from him. The disc had a central upper dome that glowed brighter than

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the craft’s overall yellow-red halo. The eyewitness saw a "particle" (possibly smaller craft) leave the disc, after which the craft stopped spinning, gained altitude with a vertical shifting and left toward the northeast. March 13, Richards Bay, South Africa — Fred White was fishing when he heard a high-pitched whine coming from the east and saw an object come in his direction and land about 50 feet away, scattering sand. It was at least 60 feet in diameter and was shaped like two plates glued together. Through several oval portholes, White could see light inside. A man with a fair complexion, wearing a metallic helmet, looked at the witness. He wore a sky-blue, one-piece coverall with no visible buttons or fasteners and his hands were covered by shiny mesh gloves. About six minutes later, the craft took off in a gust of warm air and caused static on White’s radio. December — Betty Hill accompanied her husband, Barney, on his first visit to eminent Boston psychiatrist, Dr. Benjamin Simon. It quickly became apparent to Simon that both Barney and Betty needed treatment. There followed a series of visits during which husband and wife independently underwent hypnotic regressions. Separately, each recounted a story of being taken aboard a spacecraft shortly after the first set of beeps. Barney had kept his eyes closed during most of the experience, but Betty recalled seeing his feet dragging over the ground as the beings took them into the disc. That explained his scuffed shoe tops. The couple said the large-eyed humanoid aliens communicated telepathically. In Betty’s repeated dreams right after the encounter, she remembered a huge "Jimmy Durante" nose on one or more of the beings. But the hypnosis description did not emphasize a large nose. Betty remembered the mouth was a straight slit. The Hills were given medical examinations in separate rooms. At one point, Barney was aware of a circular instrument placed around his groin which seemed to connect to the ring of warts that had grown around his genitals. During Betty’s examination, a long needle was inserted in her navel. She was told it was a pregnancy test. Amniocentesis was not widely used until the mid to late 1960s Afterwards, she was shown a "star map" of glowing dots joined by lines which the "alien leader" said were travel and trade routes. Betty said the beings insisted she would not remember her experience, but she was determined that she would. The couple were returned to their car, the craft increased in brilliance and resembled a glowing orange ball as it left. Most of the details of Barney’s experience were described in Betty’s account, but her account contained many details not included in Barney’s. Dr. Simon’s opinion was that the couple "had suffered severe anxiety reactions after an experience with a UFO" and the Hills’ medical insurance claim was paid based on Dr. Simon’s assessment. 1964 April 24, Socorro, New Mexico — Deputy Marshal Lonnie Zamora was chasing a speeding motorist on the outskirts of town at approximately 5:45 PM. Suddenly, he heard a roar and saw a blue and orange flame in the sky about a mile to the southwest. Zamora turned his patrol car toward the "fire" and drove over rough terrain. He got within 800 feet of an object that was a metallic shiny-white and looked like an egg standing up vertically. At first, Zamora thought the object was a crashed car standing on end. Then, he noticed two small people in white coveralls beside the object. Zamora drove forward to about 100 feet from the object. The white-suited figures were no longer visible. As he stepped out of his car and walked toward the "egg," he could see that it was standing on legs. Zamora could see a red colored insignia on the side of the craft that was about 2 1/2 feet wide composed of an arrow tip pointed straight up inside an arc placed slightly above a horizontal straight line. Suddenly, there was a loud roar and Zamora ran to take cover behind his car. The craft began to rise slowly, emitting a light-blue and orange flame. Zamora kept on running away until the roar stopped. When he turned around, the white "egg" was rising slowly and then moved with great speed into the distance.

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the Eben language came out in another wand held by one of the Ebens. — Six Army Signal Corps engineers stood at windows in the Munitions Building in downtown Washington and watched discs zigzag across the sky toward the Capitol. right? Well. two delta-wing jets appeared and raced toward the UFOs which took off leaving the jets far behind them. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The case was investigated by numerous civilian organizations. trace and entity case was listed as "unidentified" in BLUE BOOK files. I also learned that the meeting between U. This landing. 1964. English words came out of the and the commander was holding. Quintanilla contacted the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "After the Ebens landed in one of their egg-shaped ships. officials and Ebens who came in three egg-shaped discs took place east of the Trinity Site (first atomic bomb explosion) near Red Canyon in the northeast corner of the White Sands Missile Range. We got it corrected and they came back to where they were supposed to be at Holloman AFB the next morning at 6 AM. We." 1966 January 19. They examined the site and found burned brush and four depressions in the ground considered to have been made by landing pads.. Doty told me on April 9. wore Egyptian-looking armor and a high-peaked helmet and who stood silently behind the Ebens holding a rod in its left hand.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. journalists. Astronomer J. they had devices that looked like large wands. Y. someone blew the time and coordinates. rose to sixty feet and then flew off rapidly. 1964. or they . He told the news media it was one of the best substantiated reports. words that indicated the blackout was a "demonstration. He then heard inside his mind. S." Later. The farmer found flattened reeds in several places at the lagoon. That was an advance military scout ship. actor Stuart Whitman told people he was startled to hear a whistling sound outside his 12th floor window and saw two hovering objects that glowed. Hynek also told Project BLUE BOOK Major Hector Quintanilla that UFO organizations might use the case to obtain a long-sought Congressional investigation of the UFO situation. A wand was handed to our commander. April 25. C.. When he spoke into the wand. November 9. Allen Hynek investigated in his official capacity as consultant to the Air Force. At this meeting. When news reporters tried to follow up on the story. Horseshoe Lagoon. D. Australia — A farmer was driving his tractor when he heard a high-pitched sound and saw a gray-blue craft about 25 feet in diameter and about nine feet high rise out of the lagoon. they were told by the Defense Department and by military officials that the incident had never happened. One was orange and the other blue. the "eggshaped" craft that Lonnie Zamora saw was an "extraterrestrial biological entity" or EBEN vehicle on its way to an official meeting arranged through the MJ-12 group. apparently telepathically. New Mexico: "Remember Lonnie Zamora? (The craft) came down around 6 PM on April 24. New York City. Suddenly. it was a mistake. the US Air Force and an agent from the FBI who was in Chavez’s office at the time. The craft was spinning like a top. Doty. the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and fifteen industrial firms to find out if they were conducting any experiments with lunar landers near Socorro. N. According to Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Special Agent Richard C. The reply in each case was negative. other sources who have seen 16mm film of the event say there was also a being who had a very large Arabic-style nose." 1965 January 11.Zamora was joined by Sergeant Sam Chavez. 1983 at the AFOSI office inside Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque. sort of like a loud speaker. When the Eben spoke into his wand. — After the great power blackout. Washington.

I think the scientific community would quickly get the message . but having an almost zero expectation of finding a saucer. In it." Saunders and Levine sent a copy of the memo to Marine Corps Major Donald Keyhoe. the ironic result was even more public controversy and distrust of government. The disc kept pace with the patrol car for about half a mile and then flew off. having been turned down by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The United States Air Force canceled Project BLUE BOOK in December 1969 and told the public and media it no longer investigated UFOs. rather than on examination of the old question of the physical reality of the saucer. Two weeks later. Colorado — The U. would present the image of a group of non believers trying their best to be objective. it would appear a totally objective study. If the emphasis were put here. If MJ-12’s intention had been to use the Condon Committee to drive a final scientific nail of denial into the UFO mystery to get the public and media off the government’s back.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. not of the physical phenomena.. Condon soon made his attitude clear: "It is my inclination right now to recommend that the government get out of this business.. Dr." Condon did not mention that more than 25% of the cases examined had remained unsolved. Harvard University. the University of North Carolina and the University of California. "Careful consideration of the record as it is available to us leads us to conclude that further extensive study of UFOs probably cannot be justified in the expectation that science will be advanced thereby. That might be the reason why Condon sent his report to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for review. After receiving their stamp of approval. He ignored other contributors to the report who felt their was evidence to support at least an open minded consideration of the extraterrestrial hypothesis.. but rather of the people who do the observing — the psychology and sociology of persons and groups who report seeing UFOs. Mary Louis Armstrong. October. David Saunders and Norman E. but his radio transmitter would not work. 1967
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Boulder. discovered a memorandum which had been written by Project Coordinator Robert Low almost three months before the start of the project. The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) and the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) who had been cooperating with the Condon Committee withdrew their support. Air Force entered into a formal agreement to study UFOs with the University of Colorado. "Nothing has come from the study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge. Levine.S. My attitude right now is that there’s nothing to it . but I’m not supposed to reach a conclusion for another year . but to the scientific community. He tried to contact police headquarters. One way to do this would be to stress investigation." the report concluded. Condon learned about the leak in February 1968 and immediately fired Saunders and Levine for insubordination. could and probably would add an impressive body of evidence that there is no reality to the observations. resigned." The situation was further aggravated when two of the Condon Committee members.March 20. Low seemed to be writing to an insider about a foregone conclusion the study would take. I think. The trick would be. Although the Air Force’s alleged goal was to have an impartial investigation. By June 1968 when Condon’s report was completed. the study’s credibility was diminished. Michigan — A police officer saw what he thought was a plane about to crash. Low’s Administrative Assistant... the Condon Report was released to the public on January 1969. The project was to be directed by Edward Condon. stating that the project members had no confidence in Low’s leadership. "Our study would be conducted almost exclusively by non believers who. As the object got close to his patrol car. a highly respected physicist. to describe the project so that to the public. the policeman could see it was a huge disk about fifty feet in diameter with a number of multi-colored lights spinning at the periphery. although they couldn’t possibly prove a negative result. Milan.

.. It’s very thin. South Ashburnham. but forty feet south of her was a broken bush. blue book in exchange for Betty’s Bible. It has haunted ranchers and law enforcement agencies throughout Canada. BUT NOT ALTERED
. a glowing light was visible through the windows. passing right through a closed wooden door. "There is something there (on the cover).. . If you saw it laying on a table. Mexico." Late that summer there had been many reports in the San Luis Valley about strange lights in the sky." There were no tracks around Lady’s body." The beings took Andreasson outside to an oval craft. and it has an arrow. however. no tracks of any kind between there and where we found her. Lady’s tracks stopped about 100 feet southeast of her body... The entities were about 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall. some type of an arrow. of a spiritual nature and heard "the voice of God. But when you pick it up in your hands. She.. and the next page over and over on the same surface. the house lights came on again and Andreasson saw that her family seemed to be frozen in place as if in suspended animation. when the unusual death of the Colorado horse made national and international news. .there is strange writing in it and numbers.. The cuts were bloodless. Thin gold. you would think it was a flat piece of plastic with a light grey metallic sheen. the United States. . Australia. Betty said. She went to bed and fell asleep while one of the entities watched over her. Two government insiders have told me about extraterrestrial technology referred to as the "Yellow Book. In the dark. the words start appearing and they are a yellow color. Alamosa. And that’s how the animal mutilation mystery began — and continues to date. It has a chute on it. large on top with narrow chins. About the blue book. The leader began to converse telepathically with Andreasson. Colorado — An Appaloosa mare named Lady was found stripped of flesh from the neck up and her chest had been opened and internal organs excised. Each sleeve of their dark blue. Rancher Berle Lewis and his wife Nellie said that when they searched the ground. the next page starts. Followed by the next page. her family was up and going about its normal business." Andreasson was returned to her home where the members of her family remained frozen like statues. she was submitted to a frightening and painful physical examination. Once aboard.It’s mysterious because of the strangeness of it. was unaffected and watched as four creatures entered the house.. Central and South America." Their explanation for the name relates to the color of the glowing letters and words that appear on white." September 9. Their heads were pear-shaped.. "Around the bush.the first three pages were just white light — glowing.. "But there was nothing else.January 25. The glowing book given to Betty by the beings disappeared. "It looked like she jumped around in a circle.. So. possibly holographic.(There’s) a pyramid. Massachusetts — Betty Andreasson was at home with her family in the evening when a power failure occurred. The book doesn’t have any pages." Berle said. Puerto Rico. the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa and parts of Europe.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. He gave her a thin. ". Moments later. Once you get to the bottom. When she awakened the following morning. several headlines questioned whether the UFOs might be connected. glowing pages. They had holes for noses and scar-like slits for mouths.the letters and words look like yellow light. skintight uniforms had a symbol resembling a bird with outstretched wings. "was a three foot circle of six or eight holes in the ground about four inches across and three to four inches deep. but a strange-type pyramid. You move your eyes along as the words appear and they just keep coming as you read." said Berle. It just looks Egyptian. Their large almond-shaped eyes slanted around to the sides of their heads.. Then she was transported to an alien world of high strangeness in which her Catholic beliefs were provoked by 3-dimensional images. It’s a rectangle about fifteen inches by nineteen inches. It’s like takeoff things for airplanes..

. Ontario reported that on the Sarcee Reserve near Twin Bridges in Alberta. He tried to draw his revolver. Lou Girodo. there had been similar bizarre horse deaths reported in Canada. ".We had irrefutable evidence that EBEs were landing on farms. One held a "box-like thing" that emitted a green light or gas that covered the patrol car. especially in the area around Colorado. harvesting vital organs from livestock.I also remembered that both civilian and military intelligence personnel attached to the staffs of individuals who worked for the Hillenkoetter and Twining working group on UFOs in the 1950s were actively engaging in research into the kinds of surgical methods that would produce ‘crime scene evidence’ like this. Col. The entities telepathically communicated to Schirmer that their origin was a nearby galaxy beyond the Milky Way and they had several bases on Earth..Local police reported that when veterinarians were called to the scene to examine the dead cattle left in fields.Our intelligence organizations and especially the working group believed that the cattle mutilations that could not be obviously explained away as pranks. teams of choppers. they often found evidence not just that the animal’s blood had been drained but that entire organs were removed with such surgical skill that it couldn’t have been the work of predators or vandals removing the organs for some depraved ritual. Schirmer described seeing entities about four feet tall emerge from the craft. predators. Corso associated with a laser instrument retrieved from downed spacecraft. that an agency in our government monitors those frequencies..
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Later.. BUT NOT ALTERED
. pencil-thin beams of light" which Col. a dead horse was found where a witness claimed a "domed saucer craft" had been seen earlier that day. The case was studied by the Condon Committee which asked psychologist Dr. wrote on Pages 180-182 in his 1997 book The Day After Roswell: "In the Pentagon from 1961 to 1963. at the White House we were reading about the mutilation stories that had been kept out of press as far back as the middle 1950s. One of the common threads in these stories were reports by the self-described abductees of being subjected to some sort of probing or even a form of surgery with controlled. or ritual slaughter were the results of interventions by extraterrestrials who were harvesting specific organs for experimentation." December 3. ". Chief Investigator in the District Attorney’s office in Trinidad. jets or vans equipped with radar and electronic gear are scrambled to interfere with and/or monitor alien activities. ".. the Res Bureaux in Kingston. and when detected. I reviewed field reports from local and state police agencies about the discoveries of dead cattle whose carcasses looked as though they had been systematically mutilated and reports from people who claimed to have been abducted by aliens and experimented on. Army Lt. Leo Sprinkle to regress Schirmer hypnotically to penetrate the patrolman’s amnesia. intense. Philip J. Another aerial association with the animal mutilation mystery are dark. now deceased. Nebraska — In the early morning hours.That same autumn Lady died. ". silent helicopters. but he could not account for about twenty minutes of time.. Ashland.. Corso.. Under hypnosis. Another entity touched his neck and caused pain. Schirmer remembered hearing a shrill beeping noise and seeing a red-orange beam when the object rose up.. but said telepathic communication from the beings stopped him. Colorado told me in October 1979 that he thought the helicopters were spacecraft piloted by creatures not from this planet which had technology that could camouflage their discs to look like our choppers. . In August 1967.Although the first public reports of cattle mutilations surfaced around 1967 in Colorado. and then just leaving the carcasses on the ground because they knew we couldn’t do anything about it. Patrolman Herbert Schirmer encountered a football-shaped craft on the ground supported on a tripod and emitting red lights. Schirmer had a red welt on his neck. I have also been told by a confidential military source that certain frequencies are related to alien craft..

Texas traveled together in a car." meaning vertical slit pupils. That led to hypnosis with a medical doctor to relieve her blocked memory about that disturbing night in May 1973. Pascagoula. she suffered terrible headaches and vivid dreams that panicked her.Schirmer asked if the aliens kidnapped people and they told him they had a program known as "breeding analysis" and some humans had been used in those experiments. She pointed it out to her brother-in-law. were night fishing off an abandoned pier on the Pascagoula River outside the city. they were much later than expected and the light appeared there before everyone. pig fetus. Cindy also recalled being shown a laboratory where animal parts such as a dog’s snout. egg-shaped craft hovering nearby. It was a clear night and they were on their way back home from playing bingo. BUT NOT ALTERED
. When the family finally drove up to their relatives who had been baby-sitting. human abductions and continuing government cover-ups. Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker. she sought medical help in 1978. the U. Cindy was taken aboard the craft and was examined by "bug-looking things" with large eyes "like a snake.. Judy Doraty became hysterical. But finally seventeen years later on August 6. Cindy agreed to explore her own amnesia about the incident with hypnosis. A family of five from a suburb outside Houston. glowing. orange glowing spheres seen over pastures where mutilated animals were found. her teenage daughter. Eventually. Cindy. In the first session. Judy clarified that the animal was a brown and white calf. After that night. Mississippi — Two shipyard workers. Cindy. 1990. tongue and testicles. had been terrified about the May 1973 night and had never wanted to talk about it with her mother. Some researchers recall the mid to late 1970s as the period when whatever is behind the UFO phenomenon turned the heat up in every direction between 1973 to 1979. One such case began in May 1973. they stopped the car by the side of the road in farmland outside Houston to watch the light and Judy was the only person who got out of the car for a better look. October 11. S. In further hypnosis sessions. Like her mother. bluish-white. Judy described seeing a small animal rising in a pale yellow beam of light into the sky. Houston. Sadly. Both heard a strange buzzing and looked up to see a large. She also watched "two little men" that had "snake eyes" excise tissue from the calf’s eye. And ironically. abductee Barney Hill died in February 1969 at age 46 of a cerebral hemorrhage. blue-white light pacing the car. 1973 May. her sister. ". Judy received information about nuclear testing in space and underwater and a consequential poisonous contamination of earth water. Terrified. When she got back in the car she felt nauseous and very thirsty. some human abductees have also reported seeing earth animals in glass cages as if on display. Finally. Air Force terminated Project BLUE BOOK in December 1969 claiming falsely there was no official interest in the UFO phenomenon.it affects the offspring and with each offspring they say (the changes from the contamination) get more prevalent. She also recalled seeing a brown and white calf rise in a pale yellow beam of light into a disk-shaped object while a blue-white spotlight at the other end of the disc kept moving as if searching the ground. or even subjected to excisions of the same body parts found missing in the worldwide animal mutilation phenomenon. water. The beings communicated to her telepathically that they were "stationed here" and had been testing earth soil. and her mother. the men
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. dead birds and a calf’s tongue were lying on a table." Judy’s teenage daughter.. or hooked up to tubes and machines as if being tested. Texas — In addition to their own physical examinations by non-human beings. vegetation and animal life for quite some time. Judy Doraty noticed a bright. 1968 to 1972 This was a crescendo period of increasing worldwide reports of UFOs.

As they reached 1. one heifer was found dead and mutilated inside a perfect circle of exposed soil
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. these possible robots or androids had pointed projections. the object stopped about 500 feet above the aircraft. All controls were set for a 20-degree dive. Just after 11 PM on October 18.. yet they had climbed from 1. A dome protruded at the center. but were referred to the sheriff where they ended up around 10:30 PM. the green light turned to white. At the rear was a green spotlight which had swung around to illuminate the helicopter. Kansas and Iowa. had seen a UFO near Ann Arbor. Hickson and Parker called nearby Keesler Air Force Base and a local newspaper office. As it changed its course to northwest. The crew braced themselves for impact. and at least one farmer claims that a shiny UFO landed in a field where a slaughtered animal was later found. "Since last May.500 feet with no power and were still climbing at 1. radio contact was re-established. BUT NOT ALTERED
." There were no necks and the arms were extremely long ending in hands that resembled lobster claws or mittens. The sheriff later stated that something had happened to the two men because they were "scared to death and on the verge of a heart attack. Calvin Parker was subsequently hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. The skin was gray and wrinkled. He was "levitated" into a horizontal position in the air while a football-sized "eye" seemingly free-floating moved up and down his body as if giving him a physical examination. the "egg" left and Parker regained consciousness. Between the lighted ends was a gray metallic hull which reflected the red and green lights. ." In December 1974. Within six or seven minutes. both men were taken back out to the river bank.700 to 3. the crew saw a 60-foot-long object resembling a streamlined fat cigar." Two of the creatures took hold of Hickson under his arms while the other grabbed Parker who fainted. the light was still heading straight for them.watched as a part of the craft opened and three. 1974 September 30 — Newsweek Magazine and other media reported increasing numbers of animal mutilations.000 feet per minute. five-foot-tall entities floated out toward Hickson and Parker.. S. The case was also investigated by J. Coyne had caught sight of his altimeter. Copilot Arrigo Jezzi tried to make radio contact with an airport. October 18. 1978. Each entity had a small opening like a mouth under its pointed "nose.000 feet per minute. Hickson and Parker were interrogated and medically examined at Keesler AFB. Coyne put the helicopter into a twenty-degree dive at 2. According to Hickson. Just as the collision seemed imminent. John Gilligan. To avoid a collision. Ohio — During the height of the 1973 UFO flap throughout the U. Mansfield.A few residents report sighting strange creatures resembling bears and gorillas.700 feet. Where humans would have noses and ears. Michigan — a four-man Army Reserve helicopter crew encountered a UFO which seemed to exert control over their chopper. Looking up through a stream of green light which flooded the bubble canopy of the helicopter. Allen Hynek and University of California civil engineering professor. Then the object made a climbing turn and disappeared. The legs extended straight down from the torso and ended in round "feet. James Harder. The crew felt no G-forces or other noticeable strains. about half an hour later. The light seemed to be pacing them but within a short time came straight toward their helicopter. Army Reserve crew members Sergeant Robert Yanacsek and Captain Lawrence Coyne saw a red light on the eastern horizon. more than 100 cattle have been found dead and gruesomely mutilated in Nebraska. Meanwhile. but could not transmit or receive. The crew felt a bounce and the UFO took off toward the west." The following day. All of them floated into the "egg" where still-conscious Hickson was taken into a circular room that was very brightly lighted. who consulted to the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO). The needle was rising. a Bell Helicopter UH-1H was traveling over the Mansfield area. The front end of the UFO was a red light. and in Ohio — and only three days after the state’s governor.

Cattle. This "leader" asked Moody telepathically if he was prepared to behave peacefully. There was not a single track around the animal. sometimes a circle of hide taken around the empty eye socket. like the other taller ones. Cases had been increasing since the late 1960s and no one could understand what was happening. About six feet tall. When Moody agreed to do so. it wobbled on its own axis. hide-deep precision and the rectum cored out. Wendelle Stevens. while the other was topped by a T-bar. small ears and nose. a device consisting of a large rod surrounded by three glass-canopied holes. an eye missing. the creatures wore skintight black clothing. One rod had a spherical head. Moody noticed a sweet. Each hole contained a central crystalline object with one rod on each side of it. He noticed a rectangular window in the craft through which he could see shadows resembling human forms. New Mexico — Air Force Sergeant Charles L. the sex organs removed in cookie cutter. The leader placed his hands on the sides of Moody’s head. The humming stopped and his body became numb. only about five feet tall and dressed in silvery white. Then it began moving slowly and steadily toward Moody. and very thin lips. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The following day. Upon the recommendation of a physician. Healthy and alive one day. No blood. He felt that he had somehow lost about one and a half hours. Moody experienced a pain in his lower back. goats – even deer and elk. An ear missing. he was able to piece together what might have happened. He jumped into his car. The case was investigated by the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) and field investigator. 1975 August 13. telephones started ringing in
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Albany. the leader applied a rod-like device to his back which relieved the paralysis. Moody could hear a high-pitched humming sound. He was surprised when he got home that the time was 3:00 AM. implying the heifer had been lowered from above onto the ground. not black. Minnesota. but passed out. He was told that the aliens’ mother ship was situated miles away above Earth. he had a large hairless head. As he moved about the craft. co-inventor of the Psychological Stress Evaluator. The animals all looked about the same. 1975. dead and mutilated the next. As it descended to an altitude of 15 to 20 feet. stifling odor. pigs. the tongue cut out from deep within the throat. He was promised a future meeting with the occupants. Moody awoke in his car as the UFO was leaving. The UFO came to a stop about 70 feet away.surrounded by snow near Kimball. he watched two beings approach his car. flat surface inside the craft and could not move his legs. Alamogordo. Moody was taken to another part of the ship where he was shown the drive unit. Col. The disc was about fifty feet long and eighteen to twenty feet wide. he began to practice self-hypnosis in an effort to recall what had occurred during the lost time period. Over the next few weeks. New York — On the evening of August 20. but warned that closer contact with humans would not be attempted for another twenty years. a rash broke out over his lower body. disc-shaped object falling toward the ground about 300 feet away. one side of the lower jaw stripped of all flesh. Moody tried to fight them off. Within a few days. rendering him unconscious once more. August 20. a protruding brow. His skin was whitish-gray. The next thing he remembered was the object rose into the sky and disappeared. but was unable to start it. Moody was in the desert observing a meteor shower at about 1:15 AM when he saw a glowing. USAF Lt. The aliens told Moody that he would have no recollection of the incident until about two weeks later. However. After being overcome by numbness on August 13. horses. He awoke on a smooth. 1975. metallic. Next to him stood a humanoid that was shorter than Moody’s two captors. No tracks. An analysis of Moody’s claims by Charles McQuiston. indicated that Moody was telling the truth. large eyes.

the two smaller objects broke away and left in the direction from which they had come. However. golden metallic disc" hovering silently about ninety feet away and fifteen feet above the ground. At the same time. The controllers estimated the object’s speed to be 3. Arizona — Seven men ranging in age from seventeen to twenty-eight were thinning out scrub in the Sitgreaves National Forest. "someone had reached up and turned the lights out. but before the truck had come to a complete stop. They had gone only about one hundred yards when a strange glow behind some trees caught their attention. he could hear a beeping sound." However. They were unable to give any explanation for the sightings. This is considered one of the better documented UFO cases because it involved civilians. The controllers located the object just as it entered the 50-mile range of one of their radarscopes. "There was no visible antennae or protrusions of any kind. At about 6 PM. the police were dazzled by a brilliant white light shining out of the center of the craft’s base. After tracking the target for 45 minutes. His colleagues saw a bright flash surround his body which stiffened and shot straight up into the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. ports or window structures could be seen. As the noise increased. glowing UFO flashed on and off. Nothing that resembled a hatch. There was no motion and no sound from the craft.000 miles per hour. the Albany tower operators had been following the movements of the UFO. The "golden machine was starkly outlined" against the sky and glowed with a milky yellow color. Travis Walton later wrote. as it passed over them. air traffic controllers at Albany airport were alerted and located the object on a radar scanner. Arizona.000 miles per hour or had executed a seemingly impossible vertical maneuver at high speed. November 5." The driver hit the break. We could see darker strips of a dull silver sheen that divided the glowing areas into panel-like sections. the craft turned and began to move away slowly. they lost contact with it. he met a police detective who was already observing a blimp-sized object hovering at five hundred feet over Lake Saratoga. The flattened disc had a shape like that of two gigantic pie pans placed lip to lip with a small round bowl turned down on top. two smaller objects approached and merged with it. The case was investigated by Ernest Jahn who contacted the Smithsonian Institution in Cambridge. Upon his arrival. the men stopped working and left for home. near Snowflake. The controllers surmised that it had either accelerated to a speed of 5.Albany’s police barracks. the image still came through clearly. the tower received a call from the pilot of a military airplane flying over the Albany area at 8. At this point. Startled citizens were reporting UFOs. The anti-clutter device was thrown to ascertain whether or not the blip was an "angel. Further down the road in a clearing. the disc spun on its vertical axis. Then the craft began to rumble. radio and television stations. As he stood there looking up at the smooth base of the disc. Walton took cover behind a log while the others shouted at him to get back in the truck. large disks and bright lights were seen at a low altitude less than 50 miles north over the South Glens Falls area and as far north as Lake George. The first object moved towards the two nervous policemen and." Meanwhile. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Snowflake. police. the UFO disappeared. Suddenly. It almost appeared to be dead in the air. After a few minutes." Morgan remarked. Walton stood up and suddenly a beam of greenish-blue light shot out of the base of the craft and struck Walton in his head and chest. the target vanished. The pilot warned them that he had just seen a red "fireball" at one thousand feet above him headed toward the airport. within a short time. "I estimated the thing to have an overall diameter of fifteen or twenty feet and to be about eight or ten feet thick. Travis Walton jumped out and walked quickly into the clearing. State Trooper Michael Morgan was dispatched to the scene of one of the sightings. 156 miles northwest of Phoenix. the group could see a "strange.000 feet. The dim yellowish light given off by the surface had the luster of hot metal. newspaper offices. "It was as if. the Federal Aviation Administration and military authorities and was confirmed by radar. Silently. As the reddish. About 5 miles outside Albany.

he walked to the nearest telephone booth and called his sister not realizing he had been gone for days. including a female with breasts. estimated to be one-half to one-third the apparent size of the moon. When the interceptor approached within a range of just under thirty miles. Walton ran in panic out into a curving hall. bald. But neither Travis Walton nor the craft were at the clearing. Duane. His voice was weak. The confidential communiqué stated. At 1:30 AM. He was twelve miles from the place where he had disappeared. noses and ears were small." Ten minutes later at 1:40 AM. Finally. went into another room where he experimented with a console until a male at least seven feet tall appeared in the doorway. tight fitting jumpsuits. their brown. He also remembered waking up in a low-ceilinged room. About a quarter-mile down the road. green. all instrumentation and communications were lost. a second F-4 was launched. He asked his brother-in-law. arranged in a rectangular pattern and alternating blue. When he regained consciousness. they saw a flash of light shoot up above the trees and disappeared into the black sky. citizens in the Shemiran area of Teheran began calling Iranian Air Force headquarters to report a strange object in the sky. The two entered another craft where there were three more blondhaired beings. So the group decided they should go back. As the backseater radar operator tracked the object. Although the creatures’ mouths. He said he was calling from a pay phone in the nearby town of Heber. 1976 September 19. he compared the size of the radar return to that of a 707 tanker. An unsuccessful search was conducted and Walton’s mother was told Travis had disappeared. The man led Walton out of the craft into a huge enclosure where the air was fresher and where several other disk-shaped craft were parked. As the second F-4 pursued the UFO southwards. Controllers at Mehrabad airport reported the object’s altitude to be approximately 5. Neff and Walton’s brother. A disk-shaped craft was rising up into the sky directly above him. he was lying back on the road. Travis could feel intense heat as he watched doors in the base close. Then a week later on November 11.air with his head knocked back and his arms and legs extended. Iran — In a confidential report from the United States military attaché in Iran to the Pentagon. The female placed an object that Walton thought resembled an oxygen mask over his face and he passed out. another bright object. Teheran. came out of the original object. red and orange in color. Travis Walton was hurled backward onto the ground several feet away. Suddenly. The air was hot and damp. and the entities turned around and walked away. When the object had disappeared. tried to hit them with a rod he picked up in the room. Grant Neff. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Then. it was reported that at about 12:30 AM on September 19. they went to the local sheriff’s office to report what they had seen. staring eyes were twice the size of human eyes. All wore blue. The man wore a clear helmet like an ocean diver might wear and Travis could see his sandy-colored hair and golden eyes. Walton said he was frightened. Walton’s sister was stunned to hear her brother’s voice on the phone.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The terrified driver took off with the other men in the truck. found Walton slumped on the floor of the phone booth in a confused mental state. The UFO was flashing intensely brilliant strobe lights. to come and get him. domed heads and "white marshmallowy-looking flesh" were watching him.000 feet. an F-4 was scrambled from Shahrokhi AFB. Walton remembered being hit by the beam of light and passing out. the jet regained all instrumentation and communications. "When the F-4 turned away from the object and apparently was no longer a threat to it. Three entities about five feet tall with large. the unidentified craft maintained a distance of almost 30 miles.

the pilot and radar operator noticed overhead yet another cylindrical UFO with steady lights on each end and a flashing light in the middle. Bentwaters. Moments later. had a close encounter with one of the lights. landing sites showed physical traces in soil and grass. December 26-30. animals continued to be mutilated. That occurred and Penniston described approaching a white light. One incident stands out for the number of military eyewitnesses and very high strangeness." After his encounter with lights. S. AFOSI’s responsibility is to investigate Air Force personnel crimes and other sensitive matters. reaching out to touch the symbols and
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. there were a series of meetings and debriefings with superior officers." Penniston remembered being told there was radiation where the lights had been. Penniston received a call to report on December 30. Penniston recalls blue and red lights moving in the forest at the East Gate of Bentwaters around 2 AM on December 26. Penniston did not want to tell the agents all the truth because he thought it was too bizarre. In the early morning hours of December 26-30. seeing a large disc-shaped craft within the light that had raised symbols on its surface. odd lights were seen moving in the Rendlesham forest and various security and military personnel investigated. Staff Sergeant James Penniston and Airman First Class John Smith (alias). the agents demanded that he agree to hypnosis with Sodium Pentothal that would be recorded by two tape recorders. it is the only organization that can legally intrude into the command structure at any level without commanders having full knowledge. although a strange beeping signal was picked up west of the location. told Penniston. casting a bright light over a 1 1/2 mile area. the UFO circled behind it and then returned to the mother ship. No traces were observed. Afterward. There Major Malcolm Zickler ordered Penniston to report to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to tell two agents what happened. orange spheres and Bigfoot were seen near mutilation sites. misinformation and silence about the real facts it had concerning extraterrestrial biological entities and their advanced technologies and possibly other dimensional entities as well. Halt. Bentwaters AFB. "The reports will remain confidential and we should treat the incident as Top Secret and not discuss it with anybody. The occupants of a house in the area reported that they had heard a loud noise and had seen a bright illumination similar to lightning. including the implication of time travel. The object ascended again. But eventually. Tower controllers saw it as it passed over the jet. Deputy Base Commander at Bentwaters. the F-4 crew flew over the UFO landing site in a helicopter. As the F-4 came in to land at the airport. Lt. discs and other unusual aerial craft were continually sighted. but at that moment his weapons control panel went off and he lost all communications. Two of the security men. and the U.The second UFO sped toward the jet. After daybreak. England — Christmas week in December 1980 was a tense and confusing time for several dozen men at the joint United States and English Royal Air Force Base at Bentwaters near the southeastern coast of the British Isles. 1977 to 1989
Over the next thirteen years. rejoining the mother ship which then departed. The pilot attempted to fire an AIM-9 missile. Charles I. 1980. 1980 to the 81st Security Police Squadron. The F-4 pilot descended to a lower altitude and continued to observe the UFO. another object emerged from the opposite side of the mother ship and descended at high speed. government continued its policy of denial. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Therefore. 1980. As the jet dove out of the way. Col. It came to rest gently on the ground. a dosage equivalent to "five or ten xrays.

". "Hundreds of people living in the affluent suburbs within commuting distance of one of the world’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities were astonished. I got about as close as 500 feet from it. sharp. The object always moved in the direction of the apex. "It’s too unbelievable." Carl said. was this red. then white. Like Band-Aids. Allen Hynek and Philip J. On June 14. This object picked the right one to fly over. chaos in the streets. Their mission was to gather chromosomes. Night Siege.. These are bright security lights. cause wars. Carl said. "The lights were incredibly bright and they were steady." On that date. "It approached from basically the same direction as before and this time the lights were changing." Penniston said government intelligence already knew what he told them and that it was considered vital to keep it all secret. Imbrogno and writer Bob Pratt said: "Something truly astonishing was happening. "It will breach national security and can destroy the system. Penniston shared his story because he said it didn’t make any difference. 1984. One case involved a security officer for the Indian Head Power Authority. You could see it was a solid body about the size of three football fields. The early sightings seemed concentrated over Westchester County. The lights were in a semicircle and in the rear. state and federal governments. "It looked like an ice cream cone. from humans and animals and to return to their time line several thousand years in the future where their civilization’s ability to reproduce has a serious problem and faces extinction. so the UFO became known as the "Westchester Boomerang. which monitors the air lanes through which the boomerang-shaped object flew repeatedly. This thing got to within thirty feet of the reactor. including Carl. yet the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).during that time I would say it hovered in one area for about fifteen minutes without moving.. saw a similar object. and that’s what got our supervisor worried. the Hudson Valley of New York and southwestern Connecticut down to Long Island Sound — Thousands of residents over four years used the same words to describe a sky object: a boomerang that was huge. moving slowly and silently close to the ground. "It was hovering over the parking lot on the reactor grounds and over some buildings that have lights on twenty-four hours a day.simultaneously receiving binary code information in his mind. astronomer J. he and other security guards and Consolidated-Edison nuclear power employees watched a boomerang for twenty minutes." Carl estimated the boomerang was at least 300 feet long. "Carl. persisted in denying its existence. but very slowly. and we were looking up at it. only one of three reactors at Indian Head was in operation." Carl said. "Ours was the only one working. "The building it was over is quite large — about eighty feet high — and this object dwarfed it. It was still moving. ninety-degree turn. it was directly over our heads. pretty far back. First." December 31."
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and the lights on this object were at least ten times as bright. That’s why it’s important to keep it quiet." who had also been a New York State Police officer. and then they all turned blue. they would all be yellow. The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings." Then ten days later on July 24." Carl said. genetic material. sometimes with lights and sometimes without. maybe a thousand feet long and several stories high. I could walk and keep up with it. and the military — ignored it. but those who are responsible for protecting us — the law enforcement agencies. other security supervisors and guards. Penniston was asked under hypnosis if the time travelers were using humans "like breeding stock?" He answered. At this time. 1982 to July 1986. "When the object turned. "As the object approached the plant. BUT NOT ALTERED
." In their 1987 book. The essence of the communication was that the intelligence behind the craft and binary code were time travelers from earth’s future. "No. so it must have been going slower than five to ten miles an hour." However. blinking light. it rotated as if it was lying on a wheel. awestruck and frightened by what they could only regard as a very bizarre event. It made a very slow.

dozens of children and adults reported seeing unidentified flying objects within the city limits." November 17. Hynek and Philip Imbrogno concluded their book: ". They were very dark. and behind it was this dark structure. 1989. watched them land. examined the (park) plot. 1986.. and slightly below it there was a rectangle which started sticking out from the body." September 21 to October 2. She said. We had it on camera for about fifteen minutes. "On his head. They were at least as bright as the landing lights on a large jet. "From the open hatch there emerged a 9 foot tall figure which filled the whole of the ‘doorway. the explanations varied from blimps to small planes flying together in formation to hoax everyone. "It was one solid structure and very large. . On his breast there was a disk with three spots of different colours. We can only speculate. Lyudmila Makarova. Novosti Press Agency and The New York Times summarized the several eyewitness accounts: "the flyover and landing of a mysterious ellipsis-shaped body about 45-feet in diameter and 18 feet thick with a hatch in the middle was seen from various distances.." Russian Colonel of the Militia. I saw two eyes and slightly above them a red lamp. They looked like portals that could open up and rockets or something could fly out of there. but an increase in the radioactive background is in evidence. He turned one of the cameras on top a 95-foot-tall pole. The object remained at a height of roughly five feet above earth. A being about nine feet tall emerged from it. on September 26 or 27 (the boy doesn’t remember exactly). and we believe everyone who saw it would like to know.we feel we have presented an overwhelming amount of evidence that something strange and inexplicable is in our midst. Voronezh. It acted like it didn’t care who saw it." The few times the FAA or law enforcement commented.. "We invite the scientists of the world to take an open-minded. at 7 PM a student saw an object with portholes. "We would like to know what it is. objective look at this phenomenon and help solve the mystery. "There was this series of lights in the shape of a boomerang. For example. then supports came out and it landed. something alien to the world as we know it. "I turned my camera in that direction and I saw eight bright lights in a V shape. One park near School No. My supervisor and I panned the camera up and down and the object was very large. "We do not know what it is.A duty officer inside one of the buildings had control over a security camera placed outside the buildings. and seemed to take soil samples. Fort Yukon." The duty officer said the object was so big that to see all of it from front to back he had to pan the camera nearly 180 degrees. Arctic Circle — The crew of a Japan Air Lines cargo jet Flight 1628 reported a mysterious and gigantic aerial vehicle shaped like a walnut with bright flashing white and yellow
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. It was very low.’ Distinctive features: a heavy gait." Another security officer said. 33 was the site of repeated landings and encounters. and their occupants come out." The Komsomolskaya Pravda. "I don’t know what actually happened here.. headed a group of experts who took measurements on the site of the events.It seemed very brazen. almost like a half circle. It was so close I actually got scared looking at it. head of the Criminal Expertise Department of the Voronezh Administration of Internal Affairs. no neck (the ‘head’ with something like three luminous eyes was a kind of hemisphere lying directly on the shoulders). Russia — In this large industrial city with a population of a million people. But Dr. bigger than a football field. very wide. The alien — sometimes there were a few of them — walked near the craft for some time. and there were these two things on the bottom that looked like hollow spheres of some sort. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

When Japan Airlines pilot Kenju Terauchi was interviewed. The manager of Waterstone’s bookshop in Bristol said that he and two others had seen six pulsing lights and one large dark object cross the sky that night. Large formations in cereal crops had been found before and after the sighting. When the circle designs suddenly evolved in 1990 to complex formations that included rectangles. Wiltshire. hundreds of police and civilians reported a large triangle-shaped craft flying across Belgium. BUT NOT ALTERED
." The source of the spinning plasma vortex is unknown. Biophysicist W. A warden who lived in a bungalow on the Barbury Castle hill said he "heard the most colossal roar coupled with a pulsing hum at 3:30 AM the morning of July 17. The FAA confirmed that lights appeared only a mile from the JAL jet as it crossed the Arctic Circle about 30 miles southeast of the town of Fort Yukon. Belgian Airspace — On the night of March 30-31. Celtic crosses and increasingly complex pictograms have been discovered in southern England’s crop fields since 1978 with the largest concentration occurring from 1989 throughout the 1990s. The formation was not in the field as late as 10 PM the evening of July 16 when a television crew was taping nearby. unknown object on his radar screen. other large formations emerged which resembled ladders and insects. This sound ended abruptly after a few minutes. Levengood in Michigan has been studying plants and soil from formations around the world since 1991. he said the large walnut-shaped object was as big or bigger than "two aircraft carriers placed end-to-end. Germany. the Czech Republic. The equilateral triangle measured approximately 177 feet each side. But Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Paul Steucke said electronically recorded radar data did not show a second object and the FAA "can’t reconcile the difference. 1990. 1991. Eyewitnesses all described the same
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." The pilot drew a picture that was carried in international newspapers in which the walnut-shaped craft takes up 2. At each vertex of the triangle were different circular formations which averaged about 75 feet in diameter. triangles and ovals as well as circles and rings as big as football fields. On July 27. Hundreds more have been reported in more than a dozen other countries including Japan. Others talked about seeing unusual lights over Barbury Castle north of the ancient sacred circle of stones called Avebury. The controller in charge of the Boeing 747 picked up a second. but there is yet no hard evidence of a disc craft actually making formations. Canada and the United States. 1992 at 12:30 AM.lights followed the airliner across the Arctic Circle as the plane traveled from Reykjavik. Air Force also reported briefly seeing a second object on radar. a group of four witnesses near Woodborough Hill in Alton Barnes. but the owner found the animals at the opposite end of a large pasture where they had not gone before as if they had been frightened by something. C. Grazing sheep near the large formation were not hurt. S. He has documented a pattern of physical and biochemical changes in affected plants which he hypothesizes were made by a "spinning plasma vortex containing complex microwave and electronic energies. March 30-31. Australia. The season culminated with a large geometric shape near Barbury Castle. Then in 1991. astronomer Archie Roy at Glasgow University said he was convinced humanity was encountering an advanced intelligence. England saw a disc with red. The three-man crew radioed air traffic controllers in Anchorage about the huge UFO flying "in formation" with them. Iceland to Tokyo. 1989 to 1998 Spring — More than two thousand simple circles." The U. the Netherlands. but strangely he never got up to look outside the house. England found at 6 AM on July 17. white and green lights moving around its middle and an amber light that seemed to detach itself from the disc and move off. He compared the roar to a hundred planes going over.5 inches and his JAL airliner in comparison is only one-quarter of an inch.

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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Royal Belgian Air Force radar operators at Glons and Semmerzake confirmed the UFO and two F-16 Fighting Falcons were scrambled to intercept. 1993. Arizona — Light configurations in triangular or V shapes were observed by hundreds.500 feet until the F-16s radar locked on it. said: "A week of reports of strange lights over DeKalb County has police officials building a file on the county’s latest encounter with unidentified flying objects. A professional real estate couple in Phoenix watched a dark triangle at around 8:30 PM move slowly near their hill top home. S. government denial and misinformation about other life forms existing in our universe in order to preserve the vested interests and status quo of political. Phoenix." After about ten minutes. Belgian authorities had received over 2.
February 4. The female eyewitness said she could see humanoid shadows at what appeared to be rectangular windows along one of the triangle’s sides. spinning as it did so. of residents from northern to southern Arizona. Description of Craft" discussed earlier. Alabama — The Gadsden Times headline that day said. "Sue Johnson was drying her hair about 5 AM January 28 when a noise she cannot describe brought her to the kitchen window of her home in Dogtown. "It was shaped like a plate with pulsing lights of many colors all around what looked like silver metal. March 13. Watkins and his son could see an enormous object about 150 feet in diameter and no more than six feet off the ground at their fence line only a dozen yards from the house. The craft was moving very slowly at 6. and then vanished. BUT NOT ALTERED
." The newspaper described several other peoples’ encounters with lights and "silent helicopters" at the same time that dozens of cattle mutilations were being reported to police and sheriffs’ offices around Fort Payne.500 reports of triangular UFOs in Belgian skies. "What she saw practically in her backyard was some sort of airborne object. sometimes one large white light and/or smaller red glowing lights at the center of the triangle. they estimated the triangle’s length to be 1. the disc began to lift upward. Perhaps future historians will judge that dishonest policy as wise following two world wars. Some Phoenix witnesses said the V-shape turned red at one point and shot vertically upward and out of sight. Recovery and Disposal" in the section labeled "9. and moving slowly below the treetops. 1997. datelined Fort Payne. Others saw large. Eyewitness drawings closely match the government’s own drawing of a triangular craft as shown in its April 1954 TOP SECRET/MAJIC EYES ONLY "Restricted SOM1-01 Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual – Extraterrestrial Entities and Technology. Rev. green and white lights. if not thousands. orange glowing spheres near Luke AFB in Phoenix. Based on the street grids below. The Reverend said. "Deja vu! UFOs return to skies over DeKalb?" And the story. From their second floor windows. Reverend Roger Watkins and his teenage son were wakened around 2 AM by heavy shaking of their Geraldine house. Even their gold fish were knocked out of three fish bowls on the living room coffee table and died. Gadsden. Then the triangle accelerated easily beyond the jets and dived to below 650 feet. The History is Filed Away The last half of the 20th Century has been a time of calculated U. Geraldine and Albertville. economic and religious institutions.configuration: one large white light in each corner of the triangle. too low for radar to separate its blip from ground clutter. covered with glimmering red.8 miles. Between November 1989 and March 1990.

Nathan F. who better qualified to seek the possibility of communication then the cryptographers of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. stories of flying disc-shaped objects and even close encounters with their occupants date back to man’s pre-history. According to scholar Richard L. Large low-flying silent craft. "there a great deal of material in Vedic literature (Hindu manuscripts that are among the earliest known writings of mankind) about flying machines. Belgium. an early CIA memo conceded "that the objects are from outer space…is a possibility. in September of 1947 said this about UFOs: "The phenomenon reported is something real and not visionary or fictitious. that show striking resemblances to UFOs. During the war. Although unknown to most people. were frequently sighted over Scandinavia in the years prior to World War II. Once it became known that objects under intelligent control were in the atmosphere. Thompson. an Air Force Intelligence "Draft of Collection Memorandum" stated cryptically. Twining. These objects were believed to be enemy secret weapons until after the war when it was learned that German and Japanese pilots also experienced the pursuing lights and believed they were Allied weapons. Gen." This openness regarding UFOs soon to changed drastically to a rigid attitude of dismissal and ridicule that set the tone for both government and the mass media’s response to the phenomenon for the next 50 years. in 1903. NJ. also parallel modern UFO sighting accounts. Air Force Lt.The Aftermath "…the Government doesn’t know what it knows." A month after Twining wrote his opinion. "While there remains the possibility of Russian manufacture…it is the considered opinion of some elements that the object may in fact represent an interplanetary craft of some kind. BUT NOT ALTERED
." Following the Twining report." --. The government already had a topsecret group of cryptographers working on breaking the Japanese and German military codes. accompanied by enigmatic radio signals. England.strange craft flying in the skies were nothing new." Biblical accounts. The code word for this operation was MAGIC. of such appreciable size as to appear to be as large as man-made aircraft… "The reported operating characteristics…lend belief to the possibility that some of the objects are controlled either manually. former Army chief of staff then serving as commander of the Air Force’s Air Material Command. allied bomber crews reported being chased and followed by glowing balls of light they called "foo fighters". But even in 1947 --. automatically or remotely. certain men within the US Government were aware that strange objects were flying through earth’s skies long before World War II. called vimanas.a pivotal year in the UFO issue --. Holland and Germany beginning in 1910. According to several credible accounts. such as Ezekiel’s fiery flying wheel. The Great Airship Mystery of 1896-97 ranging from the West Coast to the central United States clearly showed that something was seen in the air years before the Wright brothers flew a heavier-then-air machine at Kitty Hawk.FBI Agent Investigating UFO issues There was a time when the United States Government admitted the reality of Unidentified Flying Objects or UFOs. "There are objects probably approximating the shape of a disc. Strange flying objects were reported in Brazil.

as if all that somehow explained the events of the 1947. while impressive in appearance. The Roswell case is a microcosm of the UFO issue. businessman Kenneth Arnold that is generally accepted as starting the modern UFO era. Today the name Roswell is synonymous with UFOs. it was the experience of Boise. as with the UFO issue itself. "They didn’t fly like any aircraft I had seen before. "The examination of events that involved the Walker AFB (Roswell Army Air Force Base was changed to Walker AFB in 1948) hospital that may explain reports of bodies was begun by reviewing the most prominent possible source. A 1997 Air Force publication. Arnold was piloting a Callair airplane near Mount Rainier when he encountered a formation of very bright horseshoe-shaped objects flying at "tremendous" speed. Later still. prematurely entitled The Roswell Report: Case Closed. which were aircraft accident(s). MAGIC soon became known as the Group of 12 which later apparently became MAGIC 12. there were no fatal aircraft accidents in the vicinity of Roswell in 1947. Dispassionately dissecting the government’s case." The name stuck. these high-level investigators had precious little hard evidence of the UFO reality --until mid-1947 when everything changed. even a borrowed mule used to transport a balloon --. Despite more than 1. 1947. Yet. Mindset is simply each person’s paradigm or world view based on the totality of his or her own experience. had little relevance to the Roswell controversy. one can believe differing government pronouncements. Idaho. Arnold described the objects’ flight characteristics. The Air Force argument apparently rested on the possible connection between the Roswell crash story and the fatal crash of a KC-97G tanker --. it is left up to the individual mindset to decide what to believe.with the exception of the initial news release --." For several pages.which occurred in 1956! Many pages of the Air Force report are used to detail studies utilizing anthropomorphic dummies.state nothing unearthly occurred at Roswell in 1947.000 published accounts of UFO sightings worldwide between late June and mid-July of 1947 alone. In later discussing his sighting with news reporters.MAGIC? Expanding this group to include men with scientific and aviation backgrounds." commented Arnold. the report presented comparisons of known crashes to accounts of small bodies at Roswell. with personal beliefs lining up according to each individual mindset. the report comments on the fact that actor Robert Stack played in a 1956 film about Air Force medical projects and in 1990 was host to an Unsolved Mysteries TV program about Roswell. all of which --. who also was a member of an Idaho search and rescue air team. This ingenious explanation falls apart after careful review of the Air Force’s own material. MAGIC 12 was changed to MAJESTIC 12 or MJ-12 to mislead researchers for security reasons. Since there is some amount of evidence to support either view. or one can believe an immense wealth of information and testimony indicating that something quite extraordinary occurred in the New Mexico desert. Yet. which were dropped over and recovered from the New Mexico desert. presented much data which. Whatever the name. On June 24. what actually happened at Roswell remains both speculative and controversial." especially after a news release from the Army that a "flying disc" had been captured in New Mexico just two weeks after Arnold’s encounter. One section stated. For example. The nation was enthralled with the idea of "flying saucers. BUT NOT ALTERED
.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. according to their own data. saying they flew "like a saucer would if you skipped it across the water. In this case. There is extensive comment about the use of local citizens in the recovery of Air Force balloon launches and photos of balloons and equipment. one is struck by the scarcity of relevant documentation.

Base personnel were mistaken. Even ordinary people. it was bright as all get-out. seven years after the reported Roswell crash. they countered. honest to Pete." This description could hardly account for the numerous witnesses --. The evidence which flies in the face of the facile Air Force explanation is simply too voluminous and compelling." he said. More than 400 individuals are now on the public record claiming to have knowledge of a crashed "flying disc" and non-human bodies at Roswell in 1947.The earliest launch date for testing such dummies is listed as June 23. The military
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. ejection seats and such. at the time. the remainder should be enough to convince any open minded person that something quite extraordinary occurred in the New Mexico desert in 1947. "I saw the vehicles. In 1997 when the Air Force publicly announced that Roswell was only about a crashed MOGUL balloon and crash dummies. a former commander of Wright-Patterson AFB. "I was right there near the flight line. General Arthur Exon. It was shiny. weighed 200 pounds (with) provisions for mounting instrumentation. Farcas found Edward had his own story to tell when he arrived home from Roswell Air Base where he was a master sergeant with the 509th Bomb Group. It is obvious that there is more to the Roswell story than has been admitted by the government. even national news commentator Sam Donaldson quipped. Some of these witnesses present unbelievable and contradictory stories. Photos accompanying the report clearly show dummies with a human appearance. Because it’s an incident that’s been covered up. with nothing to gain from telling their experiences. the Vietnam experience and Watergate that the public began to realize that government officials could and would lie to them. They took that stuff and they took it in a big hanger. and it only makes sense to use such accurate humanlike approximations to test parachutes. They had a lot of security. It beggars the imagination to think that the highly-trained and experienced intelligence officers of Roswell’s 509th Bomb Group --. Additionally. covered. the report described the test dummies as "72 inches tall (six feet). And they had security around so we couldn’t see what it was…. Yet.the only unit in 1947 to carry atomic weapons --. the GI trucks. It was only a weather balloon. military authorities quickly denounced as erroneous a press release from the Roswell base declaring that a "flying disc" had been captured. But others. the trucks. 1954.I don’t talk about the thing too much…until I get provoked and someone says it isn’t so.accurately quoted in the Air Force report --. Mrs. Mrs. "It was going at a pace that no weather balloon ever went. such as Roswell mortician Glenn Dennis who claimed that Roswell base medical personnel contacted him on how to obtain several small coffins. It was only after the political assassinations of the 1960s. Brig. BUT NOT ALTERED
. who said he was forced to turn over unusual Roswell wreckage to military officers who then threatened both him and his family if he talked about his experience." If even half of the people who have given statements about a crashed disc and alien bodies are discounted. "It was just like a jet engine was stuck on it. They were under heavy guard. both in size and features.all of whom described the bodies at the Roswell crash site as no more than four and a half feet tall.could confuse a sixfoot-tall human dummy for a four-foot-tall spindly spaceman. " she recalled. Wilcox. bringing in this debris from what we heard was the crash of a flying saucer that crashed northwest of Roswell. And the American public. still imbued with wartime patriotism. There’s too much lying going on. Edward and Helen Farcas in 1997 told Texas news reporters about their separate experiences in New Mexico in 1947. who said he was aware of both Roswell crash debris and small bodies being shipped to Wright-Patterson and former Chaves County Sheriff George A. "Do you really expect us to believe that?" In truth. accepted this explanation from their leaders." Eager to tell her husband about her sighting. Farcas said she saw a fiery object streaked over her home near Roswell. have come forward. That thing was going so fast. most Americans didn’t believe that.

Now under the National Security Act of 1947. secrecy seems to be working. Allen Hynek. when President Harry Truman asked Congress to create a unified military establishment. Concurrently there had been a long-standing debate regarding the creation of a centralized intelligence agency to replace the wartime Office of Strategic Services. control of UFO information --. "Hereafter this matter shall be referred to only as Operation Majestic Twelve. The act went into effect on September 18. "So far. (Schiff) did express some surprise that those records were destroyed. Forrestal "the most important feature of the bill" was the creation of the National Security Council (NSC). the Vice President and the secretaries of state and defense. 1947. 1945. had been mysteriously destroyed. "Having spent 24 years in the military. supposedly against regulations and without traceable authorization. as well as message traffic from the base between October. 1949. through December. Most telling was the fact that GAO investigators discovered that Roswell Army Air Field administrative records from March. the Constitution. Changes in the basic structure of this nation’s military had been in the wind since December 19. 1946. BUT NOT ALTERED
.was centered in the four members of the NSC. 1949. But following the Roswell incident.was created by the end of that year within the Air Force.obviously a matter of national security --. It was at this same juncture that Truman reportedly created the MJ-12 group by secret executive order to monitor the UFO issue. 1945. the media and the public." Whatever actually happened at Roswell during July. But according to then Navy Secretary James V. which was prompted by a 1994 request from the late New Mexico Representative Steven Schiff." wrote J. less than a month after Roswell. One MJ-12 document --. The national mood was still one of wartime security and congressmen were simply given a wink and an assurance that national secrecy required national legislation. This culminated with Truman signing into law the National Security Act of 1947 on July 25. there appeared to be an unnatural urgency to tightening the military and intelligence systems. through December." Several supposed MJ-12 documents have now surfaced including an MJ-12 Operations Manual which presents details of a Roswell saucer recovery as well as descriptions of alien bodies. Not only was the 1947 act rushed into law but Congress had no real conception of the ultimate purposes of the legislation. Who is telling the truth? One objective indicator of who’s telling the truth may be buried in a 1995 US General Accounting Office report regarding Roswell. after some adjustment comprised of the President. "The division grew greater as it became increasingly clear that the `ordinary’ foreign technology explanation was untenable. then director of Ohio State University’s McMillin
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.not universally accepted as legitimate --. 1947. 1947. it apparently prompted and immediate and profound change in government openness toward UFOs. Sign members quickly became sharply divided between those who believed UFOs to be secret but ordinary Soviet technology perhaps built from captured Nazi designs and those who subscribed to the extraterrestrial thesis. Schiff’s press liaison.claims nothing unusual took place while some 400 witnesses claim otherwise. This act separated the Air Force from the Army and created the military Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Central Intelligence Agency. This secrecy may have been instigated by none other than Air Force Chief Twining himself. Barry Bitzer commented. stated over the apparent signature of President Truman. At the heart of this darkness were the UFOs. "Congress wound up legislating in the dark." commented Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Tim Weiner. Following his rather honest report of September. and at Twining’s recommendation. a UFO study group --designated Project Sign --." commented one report. The GAO reported it could find no evidence of a crashed saucer but failed to endorse the Air Force’s claim that only a secret MOGUL balloon crashed at Roswell. The National Security Council system bypassed Congress.dated September 24. 1947.

like others within Project Sign. when his F-51 plane crashed in Kentucky after chasing a large UFO detected on radar and reported by Kentucky highway patrolmen. called it Project Saucer." noted Hynek. If a case contained some of the elements
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. all but seven UFO reports had been explained away. Ruppelt. Hoyt S. 1948. I am convinced that there was definite thought behind its maneuvers. In fact by the time the rewritten report was issued in late 1948. "It was not until several years had passed and data of similar nature continued to flow not only from this country but from many others that I had occasion to feel the phenomenon was indeed being proved: there were too many occurrences that couldn’t be explained in ‘ordinary’ terms. saying he just couldn’t accept the idea of interplanetary spaceships. they concluded that Mantell hallucinated and died due to oxygen deprivation while chasing Venus and that Gorman dueled with a lighted weather balloon. another National Guard pilot. without knowing its proper code name. Vandenberg is one of those men listed as a member of the top-secret MJ-12 UFO group. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Meanwhile the new media had caught wind of the Project Sign investigation but." Interestingly enough. ND.Observatory. Later in 1948 mysterious green fireballs were reported on numerous occasions in New Mexico and neighboring states. On Oct. but a few. this report drew "considerable comment" as it worked its way through military channels to higher command echelons. "Now the public relations statements on specific UFO cases bore little resemblance to the facts of the case. This was not exactly true. 1. The Air Force responded to this unwanted attention by announcing the end of Project Sign. "With the Soviets practically eliminated as a UFO source. Lt. Project Sign members began to accept the extraterrestrial thesis. snickering at the "gullibility" of those who professed to see UFOs." Faced with accounts such as these. were kept as "mementos of the golden days of the UFOs. Could it be that he knew more about the issue than the Project Sign staff and took steps to head off any low-level investigation? Vandenberg’s response to the "Estimate of the Situation" report certainly set the tone. "The change to Project Grudge signaled the adoption of the strict brush-off attitude to the UFO problem. Such occurrences included famous early UFO cases like the death of National Guard Capt. the idea of interplanetary spaceships was becoming more popular. "but no one stopped it" --. Thomas Mantell. Vandenberg. 1948.. "but was able…to maintain a constant rate of climb far in excess of my aircraft. who died in January. In a rewritten "Estimate of the Situation". " he wrote. Gorman reported an aerial dogfight with a UFO at Fargo. George F. Vandenberg squelched the report. " stated Gorman.until it hit the desk of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. started out as a total skeptic. Most of the Project Sign staff saw the writing on the wall and departed. who later would head the Project Blue Book UFO investigation. the group’s name was simply changed to Project Grudge with significant changes in its operation. All copies were ordered destroyed. Hynek. who joined Project Sign in early 1948. Only February 11. 1949. According to Ruppelt. These survivors quickly began to seek more mundane explanations for the bizarre UFO sightings. Edward J. The Sign staff prepared an "Estimate of the Situation" report for higher authorities which concluded that UFOs represented interplanetary spaceships. "The object was not only able to out turn and out speed my aircraft. according to Ruppelt. leaving only a few minor staffers in charge." wrote Air Force Capt.

strapped by political. giving lie to the banal press releases being issued by the Air Force. A newsman of the time described one of the only reports issued by Project Grudge as "quite impressive. funding and manpower problems." Ruppelt shared the confusion and frustration of the Air Force investigators.possibly attributable to aircraft. Behind the scenes. Irritated that the media and the public would not just drop the subject of UFOs. Ruppelt said the project lapsed into a period of almost complete inactivity which he termed the "Dark Ages"." Nationally-syndicated columnist Jack Anderson felt the same. "Dr. "This drastic change in official attitude is as difficult to explain as it was difficult for many people who knew what was going on inside Project Sign to believe…Here were people deciding that there was nothing to this UFO business right at the time when the reports seemed to be getting better. and placed Capt.S. and I think Dr. 1951. who had classified the matter at a "rating higher even than the H-bomb". who served on the U. They were frequently observed near our most sensitive military and atomic installations." he recently wrote. none of this internal consternation was known to the media or the public. They continued to come and go at their leisure.S. From what I could see. Hoover groused. a balloon.there was nothing there except misinterpretations and hoaxes. told his superiors he had learned from American scientist Dr. Ruppelt in charge. high-ranking government officials were intensely interested in any UFO information. and I am compelled to say that the Air Force’s handling of the UFO reports has all the earmarks of a cover-up. "Now the public relations statements on specific UFO cases bore little resemblance to the facts of the case. illogical reasoning and very apparent attempt to write off all UFO reports a any cost…to cover up the real story.. For instance in the (La?) case the Army grabbed it and wouldn’t let us have it for cursory examination. high-ranking military officers established a new. In a 1947 memo. Vannevar Bush (another MJ-12 listee) was definitely involved. BUT NOT ALTERED
. "…we must insist upon full access to discs recovered." Wilbert B. it automatically became that object in the press release. reorganized Project Grudge on October 27. Government’s Research and Development Board as well as president and board chairman of the Washington Institute of Technology. I am sure our laboratories analyzed them very carefully…. a Canadian official. Robert Sarbacher that "flying saucers exist" and that the issue was considered to be of "tremendous significance" by U." noted Hynek. Meanwhile the UFOs appeared unaffected by the commotion. Even FBI Director J. "I know a government cover-up when I see one. Dr. Sarbacher. stating. Edgar Hoover was denied access to information. The official government position on UFOs had become one of denial --. if there were any mind-changing to be done. authorities. it should have been the other way…" Of course.I remember that in talking to some of the people at the office that I got the impression these ‘aliens’ were constructed like certain insects we have observed on earth…I still do not know why the high order of classification has been given and why the denial of the existence of these devices. Project Grudge foundered. but only in its ambiguousness.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. In the 1980s." As the 1950s began. Smith. Robert Oppenheimer also…I did received some official reports when I was in my office at the Pentagon but all these were left there as at the time we were never supposed to take them out of the office…About the only thing I remember at this time is that certain materials reported to have come from flying saucer crashes were extremely light and very tough. confirmed Smith’s account in a letter. appearing ever more frequently and in increasingly brazen situations. etc.

He personally investigated some of the more publicized UFO incidents. known as Communications Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings (CIRVIS). These orders. While on the one hand constantly denying that UFOs existed. which continued as the official US Government response to UFOs until 1969. He said he later learned the real reason for dismissing the newsmen was to prevent them from learning the reality of the UFOs should one be brought
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. That night about 11:40 p. as did several UFO researchers of the time. Project Grudge was scrapped.Ruppelt noted a "schizophrenic" approached to UFOs by the Air Force. directed pilots to report UFO sightings but kept these reports secret from the public. According to Scripps-Howard New Service. Ruppelt. This name was soon changed to Project Blue Book. now working closely with the Air Defense Command. 1952. A day-long discussion convinced Ruppelt that balloons could not account for all UFO sightings. these reports dropped to zero. which discussed the possibility that UFOs indeed were from other worlds." Ruppelt wrote. more than eight UFOs were tracked on radar at both Andrews Air Force Base and Washington National Airport streaking over Washington at "fantastic high speeds". with UFO reports increasing not only in quantity but in quality. Life magazine published an article entitled. The objects were observed by experienced pilots and air traffic controllers along with countless citizens in addition to the radar contacts until nearly daylight. Pilots were told to cease reporting UFOs to their companies but instead report directly to military intelligence in Washington. meanwhile brought fresh interest to Project Grudge. In fact. When the aerial show began. But they stopped short of believing.m. Ominously. By March. Air Force officials on the other hand issued orders to both pilots and air controllers on how to proceed when a UFO was encountered. Ruppelt also visited the makers of the military "Skyhook" balloons. both the public and government officials were jolted by events beginning on July 19. "Have We Visitors from Space?" The piece. a favorite explanation for UFO reports.. 1952. news reporters jammed into the radar room at National Airport but they were quickly ordered out with the excuse that classified radio frequencies would be used to communicate with the interceptors. Disgusted with the expression "flying saucer" which had come to represent anything and everything strange and unworldly. cited several highly-placed government sources.passing over both the Capitol and the White House. Ruppelt popularized the term Unidentified Flying Object or UFO. Ruppelt’s Project Blue Book also instigated another change. These sightings continued later in July. believers and skeptics alike agreed that the concept of interplanetary visitors was the personal opinion of several ranking Pentagon officers at the time. that the article had been officially approved at the highest-levels to condition the public to the idea of extraterrestrial visitation. Almost 500 airline pilots signed a petition protesting this censorship but to no avail. commercial pilots had been reporting between five and ten UFO sightings per night. This censorship was extended to commercial pilots when Air Force officials met with representatives of the nation’s major airlines. "I knew this was absurd because any ham radio operator worth his salt could build equipment and listen in on any intercept. Following the meeting where the new guidelines for reporting were issued as well as admonitions against discussing the issue publicly. Each time jet interceptors were vectored to the area of the UFOs. these objects were well within Washington’s most restricted airspace --. became a separate organization officially called the Aerial Phenomena Group. Someone with considerable power was determined to close off public discussion of UFOs. prior to this meeting. Conditioned or not. BUT NOT ALTERED
. in the belief that this more closely represented the focus of the investigation. On April 7. The Air Force investigation. they would disappear until the jets returned to base when they would reappear and continue their aerobatics demonstration. 1952.

claimed fellow NICAP member and former CIA Director Adm. especially through his study of the German V-2 rocket program during World War II. according to Ruppelt. Hillenkoetter named as a MJ-12 member in the dubious MJ-12 documents --. reflected the viewpoint of most of his peers when he later recalled. intelligence. Roscoe H. while reported skeptically by the media. With both the Air Force and the Navy now in the UFO investigation business and with Blue Book members calling for an end to the secrecy. Newhouse. then one of the most hidden of government agencies and one that had been surreptitiously keeping tabs on UFOs since its inception in 1947. This was accomplished by calling upon the CIA. "At the start I thought it was a lot of nonsense and said so. who in 1956 helped form a private UFO group called the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP). This explanation. to kill off public belief in UFOs". Donald E. the Air Force called a news conference on July 29. This decision was supported by then Navy Secretary Dan Kimbell. "We were double-crossed." commented a Blue Book member. Maj. was hampered by men of Page’s mindset and thrown off by the highly selective presentation of UFO cases by the CIA. With little chance that the extraordinary aerial display could be denied. Robertson. he simply didn’t have an answer. charged one of the attending Air Force officers.confirmed to him this early CIA interest. Samford finally passed the buck to an intelligence officer who speculated that the display over Washington had been caused by temperature inversion. Both the Air Force and the Navy spent months studying some of the best sightings of the period including a film of fast-moving bright flying objects taken on July 2. John Samford hedged on many questions asked by the reporters largely because. Thornton L. "The CIA (didn’t) want to prepare the public --.P. CIA officials quietly convened a panel of distinguished scientists to make a secret study of the UFO evidence up to that time.said the Navy analysts were incompetent. Keyhoe. Blue Book investigators determined that each night of the sightings temperature inversions were never strong enough to affect radar. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Retired Marine Maj. To this end. It was largest and longest Air Force briefing since World War II.down. One panel member. Those agents ran the whole show and the scientists followed their lead. said a decision was made to "seize control of the AF investigation and insist on a hard-boiled.S. Hillenkoetter --. was embraced by UFO debunkers. a phenomenon creating pockets of warm air which could both reflect light and be picked up on radar. Gen.the same Adm. Keyhoe."
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." The Robertson Panel. ruthless censorship. Lloyd Berkner. The panel was chaired by Dr. However. The scientists saw just 15 cases and the CIA men tried to pick holes in them. "So the Washington National Airport sightings are still unknowns. The panel was selected by then CIA Director Walter Bedell Smith --another name on the MJ-12 list --. The agents bypassed the best ones. a man with impressive credentials and highly-placed Washington contacts. Neither Air Force nor Navy photo analysts could offer a conclusive explanation for the objects in the film. Dr. 1952. We had over a hundred of the strongest verified reports. The Washington incidents were enough to cause Blue Book staffers to decide it was time to end the official secrecy regarding UFOs. it was obvious that something had to be done to control and contain the issue. a California Institute of Technology physicist with close connections to U. Dr. who ordered a Navy investigator after experiencing his own UFO sighting while flying to Hawaii. as it came to be known. Page of Johns Hopkins University.they’re trying to bury the subject.and included yet another MJ-12 listee. by Navy Warrant Officer Delbert C. H. They threw out the Utah (Newhouse) film --." Ruppelt concluded.

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. What is clear from the record is that by the time of Ruppelt’s departure from Project Blue Book. In a 1979 letter. Tacker." With the CIA-dominated Robertson Panel. but if a strong report does get out we have to publish a fast explanation --.This assertion was supported by astronomer Hynek. In March. planting articles in magazines and arranging broadcasts to make UFO reports sound like poppycock. the panel recommended that "national security agencies take immediate steps to strip the Unidentified Flying Objects of the special status they have been given and the aura of mystery they have unfortunately acquired. We’re ordered to hide sightings when possible. L. J. Goldwater wrote. said. "What Al Chop told you isn’t the worst of it. Ruppelt told him." he confirmed.to this day. and for nearly (50) years not enough attention was paid to the subject to acquire the kind of data needed to even decide the nature of the UFO phenomenon. Project Blue Book underwent yet another reorganization. "There never has been an official Air Force conclusion that Flying Saucers are real.make up something to kill the report in a hurry and also ridicule the witness. By late 1956. It’s a raw deal but we can’t buck the CIA. such as clogging defense communications with "irrelevant reports" and causing false alarms which might diminish a rapid response to a Soviet attack. more secret. Panelists concluded that "the continued emphasis on the reporting of these phenomena does. Only sightings which could not be rationalized away were forwarded to Blue Book. Russell. "This thing has gotten so highly classified…it is just impossible to get anything on it. especially if we can’t figure out a plausible answer.with only minor interruptions --. House Majority Leader John McCormack and Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. result in a threat to the orderly functioning of the protective organs of the body politic". We even have to discredit our own pilots. the US Government thus began a conscious program of dismissal and ridicule regarding UFOs which has continued --. "They killed the whole program. the UFO issue had been taken away from the military and placed firmly in the hands of the CIA and perhaps even higher. Col. Al Chop. Project Blue Book members resumed their role of explaining away all UFO cases. To remedy this perceived weakness in the defense system." After just five days of study. We (were) ordered to work up a national debunking campaign. 1954. by that time too swayed toward the spaceship theory to be allowed anywhere near the Robertson panel. Ruppelt had resigned from Blue Book and published a book critical of the Air Force investigation and supporting the idea of extraterrestrial visitation. a disgusted Capt. Blue Book’s civilian press officer. in these perilous times. This was obviously a clear-cut method to hide away any inexplicable sightings. the Robertson Panel concluded there was no indication that the UFO phenomenon constituted a direct threat to national security. "The Robertson panel did get someplace: they made the subject of UFOs scientifically unrespectable. groups. the panel saw fit to delve into the psychological aspect of UFOs while denying any physical reality. Intriguingly however. "The panel was not given access to many of the truly puzzling cases. Despite their protestations." Apparently Tacker had not read the Air Force documents previously mentioned. Now UFO reports were screened by the 4602nd Air Intelligence Service Squadron. All have stated that their efforts to learn about UFOs were blocked by some higher power." According to Keyhoe. No one knowledgeable with the panel’s operation was surprised. The success of the new program of denial has been demonstrated by comments from leading government officials such as Georgia Senator Richard B. adding. which was required to pass along all unexplained reports to the CIA." The severity of this program of dismissal eventually resulted in this statement from Air Force Headquarters by Lt.

1961. it was understandable that during the 1960s. a giant torpedo-shaped UFO which caused both motorists’ cars to stop running after it made a brief landing outside Levelland.. 7. with both a popular book and a movie made from their experience. 1954. This public response prompted Michigan Rep.000 government grant was to
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COPIES MAY BE MADE."The Air Force entered upon a long period of unfortunate. quickly explained away the sighting as simply will-o’-the-wisp or fox fire. Michigan. students and law enforcement officers --. By the mid-Sixties. 1961. The public’s ire was especially aroused after nearly 100 persons --. but testimony was tightly restricted to statements from the secretary of the Air Force. Brief hearings were conducted on April 5. on April 24. Maj. In 1962. 1966. the commander of Project Blue Book and Hynek. radar contacts and multiple witnesses tracked a UFO that passed near two US-leased air bases near Ipswich. Howard Menger. 1965. a new wrinkle had been added to simple UFO sightings. on August 13. "Air Force Insults Public With Swamp-Gas Theory" cried one newspaper headline. Keyhoe and his NICAP organization tried unsuccessfully to have Congress investigate the issue but the politicians were dissuaded by secret briefings by military and intelligence officers. Trapnell. The news media and the public were becoming wary of the self-serving explanations presented by Project Blue Book. He noted that "some of the Blue Book evaluations of sincere reports were often so transparent and irrelevant that they had later to be retracted. pressure to treat UFOs seriously was building from different quarters. Texas. D. that a $500. Considering the continued government program of ridicule aimed at anyone who sought a serious discussion of UFOs and the increasingly bizarre accounts of UFO contact." The UFOs meanwhile continued to confound both Project Blue Book inactivity and government pronouncements that they simply didn’t exist. Edward R. the Air Force tried unsuccessfully to rid itself of the Blue Book UFO project. 1956. 1964 and January 11.watched a football-shaped pulsating object land in marshland near Dexter. a recorded radar contact with a UFO that approached the televised launch of a Polaris rocket from Cape Canaveral. between December 21." wrote Hynek. BUT NOT ALTERED
.including a Civil Defense official. By the mid-1960s. reflecting public indignation. Gerald R. who remained with Blue Book as a consultant. England. none of whom ever claimed to have seen a UFO. the observation of a landed UFO along with two occupants by Policeman Lonnie Zamora near Socorro. 1964 and further UFO demonstrations near Washington. on January 10. A suggestion that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) take over the UFO probe was discarded because it was believed that any NASA involvement would only convince more people of the reality of UFOs. Contactees such as George Adamski. on November 2. Nevertheless. including astronomer Hynek. FL. 1966. amateurish public relations. Stories of contact with UFO occupants and even abductions began to surface. assistant for public relations to the secretary of the Air Force. 1966. the Air Force announced on Oct. 1957. was shocked to learn that at that time the rate of UFO sightings was three times higher than when Blue Book first began.C. Betty and Barney Hill. on March 20. Government investigators. Ford to press for a congressional investigation. Responding to all this. a college dean. Perhaps the earliest and most publicized abduction case involved a New Hampshire interracial couple. The Hills claimed to have recalled under hypnosis an abduction as they drove home on September 19. The Hill case received widespread publicity in the 1960s. Daniel Fry and George Van Tassel claimed to have conversations with extraterrestrials and even taken on trips aboard their craft. public pressure to learn more continued to grow. NM. The most documented cases of the 1950s and 60s included the buzzing of a British Overseas Airways Boeing Stratocruiser by several UFOs just after leaving New York City on June 29.

recognized the weakness of the committee’s work. to the public. Condon’s committee chose to study a mere 117 --. it would appear a totally objective study but." said John Northrop. "What sort of scientific investigation is it that assumes the answer before starting. Jacques Vallee noted. adding that several scientists confided to him that it was their study of the Condon Report that convinced them UFOs should be taken more seriously. "The opposite conclusions could have been drawn from the content of the (Condon) report. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Robert Low. namely that a phenomenon with such a high ratio of unexplained cases should arouse sufficient scientific curiosity to continue its study. It quickly became known as the Condon Committee." Even author Curtis Peebles. was named director of the study. "Our general conclusion is that nothing has come from the study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge. to the scientific community.618 UFO reports in the Blue Book files. Low stated. It also quickly became apparent that Condon had no intention of conducting an open-minded. "The 21st century will die laughing at the Condon Report.it was made plain to the scientific community that there would be no merit or grants in the study of UFOs. hallucinations or hoaxes. with the pompous title. McDonald." Of the 12.its own raw data. Dr. James E. The Condon Report was issued on January 9. Edward Condon. It produced a report which made pronouncements unsupported by --." Other critics were less kind.or even contradicting --. the study group soon broke into rival bickering and contentious factions. A subcommittee of the prestigious American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics in 1970 stated. One outside consultant. Condon stated. Careful consideration of the record as it is available to us (emphasis added) leads us to conclude that further study of UFOs cannot be justified in the expectation that science will be advanced thereby." commented University of Arizona physicist Dr. I think. "Our study would be conducted almost exclusively by nonbelievers who…could and probably would add an impressive body of evidence that there is no reality to the (UFO) observations. to describe the project so that. But the Condon Committee achieved it’s purpose --." Later a memo from the study’s project coordinator. and stated.then admitted that 30 percent of this small sample defied logical explanation. public and media discussion of the subject was
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.none of which dealt with the numerous reports of UFOs detected near sensitive military and defense installations --." groused Hynek.be given to the University of Colorado to Study UFOs. a debunker who has dismissed all UFO cases as misinterpretation of natural events. The trick would be. "The Condon Study was a microcosm of the Sixties. "Not surprisingly. objective study. confirmed the insincerity of the investigator. Writing to a Colorado University dean even before the project began. The report was immediately attacked from all sides." Like the Warren Commission before it. a physicist with long-standing government ties having worked on the development of both radar and the atomic bomb. "(The Condon Report is) one of the most deliberate cover-ups ever perpetrated on the public. 1969. Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects. astrophysicist Dr." With these attitudes at the top clashing with those of the field investigators on the bottom. "My attitude right now is that there is nothing to it…But I’m not supposed to reach a conclusion for another year. would present the image of a group of nonbelievers trying their best to be objective but having an almost zero expectation of finding a saucer…If we set up the thing right and take pains to get the proper people involved…we could carry the job off to our benefit. Less than three months after the contract was awarded. a few months later the work of the committee had come to a standstill. "It was impossible for the different factions to come together in a common effort. " he wrote. the Condon Committee operated from predetermined conclusions and a selective choice of evidence. founder of Northrop Aircraft Company.

Toward the end of 1969." Today there is no doubt that such super-secret craft with amazing technology are being tested at Area 51 and other locations. between November. and May. 1965. It was in this remote desert location that top-secret aircraft such as the U2 and SR-71 were developed. All records of the Condon Committee were transferred to a private home and burned. which have been reported almost all states and have continued through 1998. FL. still are attributed to predators or Satanists by a indolent news media. by now an outspoken champion of further UFO study. was dropped after 20 years as an Air Force consultant. the welldocumented abduction account of devout Christian Betty Andreasson from her Massachusetts home in January. the irradiation of Betty Cash.closed off. servicemen during the Vietnam War. 1987.in late December. The only problem for the government was that those pesky UFOs refused to go away. Army’s Research and Development Department. 1967. Sightings and abduction claims have only increased since the U. Philip Corso revealed that in the early 1960s as head of the Foreign Technology Desk of the U. The mutilations. including Astronaut Edgar Mitchell. terminated Project Blue Book which in hindsight can be seen to have been nothing more than a public relations front with the best cases being passed under the table to a more secret UFO group. the widely-publicized abduction report of laborer Travis Walton from a national forest in Arizona in November. a relieved Air Force high command. TX.including the base commander --. congressional inquiries were sidetracked and Hynek. It seemed that the UFO era had come to an end. Many people. in December. Today. protected by government-hired private security agents employed by the Wackenhut Corporation. The more notable cases included a rash of sightings beginning in September. 1980.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Vickie Landrum and her seven-year-old grandson near Houston. when the women claimed to have encountered a large spherical UFO belching flames and surrounded by helicopters. However. no one has been prosecuted for draining all blood and surgically removing organs from animals. there is a more unearthly answer.S. regardless of the political.S. The question has become. Government ended any official interest with the closing of Project Blue Book in 1969. 1980. 1975.S. "Where did the United States get such technology?" The mundane answer would be that we simply have some smart scientists and engineers. Another secondary issue involves one of the US Government’s most secret places --. the reported abduction of two Mississippi fishermen in October. in the Rendlesham Forest near Ipswich. Air Force personnel --. funding or technical arguments against that possibility. more hush-hush projects are underway. the largely unreported UFO encounter by U. 1988. which while mostly confined to the English countryside also have been reported in the United States and many other countries.the Groom Lake facility in southern Nevada better known as Area 51. England. many UFO reports made by U. " reported the prestigious periodical Aviation Week & Space Technology. believe that some of our most recent aircraft use technology gained from crashed or donated UFOs. "Multiple reports from well-qualified observers lend substantial credence to the existence of numerous secret aircraft flying from remote bases in the southwestern US. and the notorious controversy over sightings and photographs of UFOs over Gulf Breeze. Many of the strongest UFO cases in the Blue Book files disappeared. in New Hampshire and lasting through late November when a massive power outage blacked out most of the northeast. 1973. he personally presented select American companies with technology obtained from the 1947 crashed Roswell alien disc. reports of UFO sightings and contact only increased. the first documented animal mutilation of the horse "Lady" (misidentified in some accounts as her mother "Snippy") in Colorado during September.S. whose editors concluded "there is substantial evidence that another family of craft exists that relies on exotic propulsion and aerodynamic schemes not fully understood at this time. 1967. The government had officially closed the book on UFOs. In fact. the reported abduction of Nebraska Patrolman Herbert Schirmer who said he was told of an alien "breeding analysis" program. The late Col. While this is undoubtedly true. Added to this are the secondary issues of the animal mutilations and the enigmatic crops circles. the fact remains that after more than 30 years. buttressed by the Condon Report. from the Sixties through the end of the 1990s. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

Following Hubbell’s disclosure. The available evidence indicates Lazar may well have done what he claims and no one has clearly refuted his physics. Operation Blue Fly.. The old 4602nd Air Intelligence Service Squadron evolved into the 1127th Air Activities Group which investigated UFOs under a program called Project Moon Dust. though perhaps under another name. There are too many secret levels. Mitchell and others support the testimony of physicist Robert Lazar who has publicly claimed to have reverse engineered UFOs at Area 51. In addition to the information regarding Area 51 and other locations now available. he presented a UFO briefing to then CIA Director Adm. Clinton asked him specifically to find out "Who killed JFK?" and the truth regarding UFOs. Mattingley. did exist for the purpose of retrieving fallen Soviet space equipment but were discontinued due to lack of activity in the late 1950s. According to Greer. However. Washington newsman Anthony Kimery was told that Project Blue Book was disbanded to make way for a "top-secret government agency to assume centralized control over UFO-related matters.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE." Col. "It was made evident to me that the British…had to appease the American military-industrial complex and so could not assist one in a search for truth. Creegan with State University of New York traveled to Britain in the mid-1980s seeking information on UFOs. United Nations documents confirm that ranking US military officers are "at the heart of UFO operations".in 1969. Regardless of whether the MJ-12 documents now in public hands are authentic. George M.Project Blue Book --. Dr. He later reported.The statements of Corso. revealed that in 1993. According to Hubbell. Hubbell said he felt he was stonewalled and was unable to secure this information for his chief. attempted to correct the record by admitting that Project Moon Dust and another program. Pulitzer Prize nominee and author Howard Blum quoted one FBI agent involved in the MJ-12 probe as saying. Numerous attempts to discredit both Lazar’s work record as well as his scientific explanations of UFO workings have met with little success. Despite all this. including a State Department memo to "All American Diplomatic and Consular Posts" advising that Moon Dust was to be notified in all "cases involving examination of non-US space objects or objects of unknown origin. BUT NOT ALTERED
. However. an upset Woolsey was stymied in his attempts to obtain relevant documents from CIA files. the recent release of documents revealed an ongoing government UFO investigation . "All we’re finding out is that the government doesn’t know what it knows." In 1991. other released documents indicated that Moon Dust and Blue Fly were still operational in the late 1980s. even an inquiry by the FBI to determine if any security violations had occurred could neither fully discredit nor authenticate the documents. It is now obvious that while the government ended it official UFO inquiry --. director of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI). Initially the government denied Moon Dust’s existence but recanted after more documents came to light. chief of the Congressional Inquiry Division in the Office of Legislative Liaison. there exists a highly-secret group at the top of the American power structure that operates in the manner they describe. It wouldn’t surprise me if we never know if the papers are genuine or not. Many foreign officials have stated that they were told not to talk about UFO incidents by US authorities. President Bill Clinton appointed his close friend Webster Hubbell associate attorney general of the Justice Department. Robert F. Jr. Some serious questions have been raised about type faces and signatures on the papers." All investigations into the legitimacy of the controversial MJ-12 papers have hit dead ends. its covert investigations continue today. James Woolsey." The US Government’s fixation on UFO secrecy apparently extends to other nations as well. Dr. the US Government continues to maintain it has no interest in UFOs. You can’t get a straight story. Steven Greer.

it would appear as though secrecy in this issue has extended far beyond any normal security considerations. It prompts many to wonder.If even the President of the United States and the director of the CIA cannot get to UFO information.that we are not alone in the universe. "Who’s really in charge?" It is a supreme irony that the American public. who pay such lip service to the ideals of freedom and openness. BUT NOT ALTERED
.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. should have allowed the creation of a national-security state that may be suppressing what can only be the greatest discovery in all of mankind’s history --.

cfm?id=116 Now that the new MAJESTIC 12 documents are in broad circulation. Let me first state for the record five key philosophical points that frame my sponsorship of the publishing of these documents: 1. no Star Wars or Star Trek. However. and as credible and rigorous new evidence materializes.. The ongoing and up-todate authentication discussion can be found at . it is appropriate for me to make a few comments regarding their authenticity and their role in support of the hypothesis contained in The Truth.I have no economic motive in advancing this hypothesis or these materials.org/narr_article. how would leaders react to such an astonishing and frightening event? Read the Day After Roswell to consider one highly respected and decorated Army colonel's story.. These remarkable documents can be examined at . BUT NOT ALTERED
. It is also quite understandable given decades of government disinformation which. 2. 3. it will be added to the site. at a time when we had no transistor. and indeed irresponsible in the extreme. I will
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.org/narr_article. nor will I reject evidence because it is contrary to conventional presumptions of scientists. Although his view of the Cold War is somewhat paranoid – very typically so for his generation – Colonel Philip Corso received a glowing commendation and forward from Senator Strom Thurmond for the book. USA. http://www. no Hubble Telescope.cfm?id=765 An authentication analysis has been underway since 1996. no laser. in 1947? At a time when the most advanced technology personally familiar to the common man was a Ford truck. and continues today. Also read Project Mindshift and consider whether there may exist a connection between modern science fiction and the UFO situation. The case "for" the reality of the UFO phenomenon is rather comprehensively summarized in The Truth. which made it into the first printing and was later retracted when the subject matter was revealed. which I have had the opportunity to see at a distance.thewordistruth. this line of discovery in my opinion is more important than any individual's career.thewordistruth. Note that Corso's coauthor William Birnes is widely known to have exaggerated and mistaken certain details from the original manuscript. right or wrong in its genesis and continuation. Outright rejection of the evidence without comprehensive review of the research in print across hundreds of books is close-minded.The New Majestic Twelve Documents What would happen if an extraterrestrial spacecraft crashed to Earth in Pleasantville. and not even a hand calculator. I have every conceivable career disincentive for pursuing this research. Corso signed an affidavit testifying to the truth of his statements before his death in 1998.. In 1998. http://www. no satellites. and I am putting my money where my mouth is to do this. unscientific. was specifically designed to create a "giggle factor" surrounding the subject.I will not selectively listen only to the evidence that simply agrees with my own previously stated views.Only those who have taken the time to read extensively in the domain are qualified to assess the historicity of the UFO phenomenon. As I discover rigorous skeptical examinations of individual documentary or historical evidence.. several remarkable new MAJESTIC 12 documents have emerged which dramatically expand the image available to examine of the alleged organization originally charged with the assessment of the UFO situation. no moon landing.

I have personally sat across the table from top leaders and brilliant minds of the military and science. they were written by the individuals therein mentioned or assistants. irrespective of whether a "crash" occurred in 1947. diligent reporters. we will be left not only with the plausibility of something like the observed UFO phenomenon. I have nothing – nothing – to gain by lying. could they be authentic in military-intelligence authorship and not authentic in detail? And if so. what does that say about the most important authentication question of all: the basic history they describe? It is almost certain that the security infrastructures created to contain the history of the crash of an extraterrestrial vehicle in 1947 would ultimately wind up creating forgeries for whatever purpose. If the documents are pristine and true. BUT NOT ALTERED
. This is a simple scientific fact. In this sense. but the overwhelming likelihood of it. 5. I do not believe that most elected officials or military intelligence officials have much
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.TheWordIsTruth. particularly nosy investigators. I am telling the truth. then they were written by an intelligence agency of the government of either the United States or the Soviet Union.include them also as part of the appropriate sections of The Truth. If the documents are partial or complete forgeries. in the complete absence of an authentic phenomenon and original historical events. and/or use them to modify my own position as reflected in the narrative. wherever that may lead. destined to one day leak and discredit their entire chains of custody and all of the surrounding research. which effectively provide clear plausibility to the concept of gravitational propulsion. or the public at large.The UFO phenomenon can no longer be dismissed because of an apparent incompatibility with the laws of physics. even the serious-minded skeptics are hard pressed not to agree that they are "authentic" in terms of militaryintelligence authorship. www. is powerful evidence for the reality of the basic UFO phenomenon.org will contain my best effort to present the complete and true story spanning the subjects touched upon within it. There are now numerous well-grounded physics papers and books in circulation that clearly point towards the ability to engineer spacetime itself. containing the verifiable details that they do. With those points as a foundation for the evolution of my book. on multiple occasions. The mere existence of such documents as these. or pristine in generation is not the issue. who have confirmed the basic truth of the UFO phenomenon. genuine in authorship. After years of analysis of previously-published MJ-12 documents (such as the work conducted by Stanton Friedman) and particularly in light of the newly released MJ-12 documents. Based upon what these leaders have told me.I am unwaveringly committed to a rigorous pursuit of the truth. This fact alone speaks volumes when considered next to the mountain of other UFO evidence. Everyone will have the ability to read such perspectives and decide for themselves what is true. I would like to state my own views on the question of how the authenticity of the MJ-12 materials bears on the historicity of the events they describe. The question is. But whether every single MJ-12 document is completely accurate in historical detail. I believe that it is exceedingly improbable that such documents were created in a vacuum – created as complete fiction. one thing is clear to virtually all serious researchers regardless of whether they believe in the pristine authenticity of the new materials: many of the MJ-12 documents simply must have been authored by or within the military-intelligence community of a superpower. such as the speed of light limitation on interstellar travel. If we have the intellectual courage to take the Drake equation and project into it technology capable of engineering gravity. Indeed. Three ulterior purposes immediately spring to mind: (1) documents seeded with small but critical flaws. However. It is obviously possible that an intelligence agency of either superpower fabricated one or more of the documents for one of the purposes described above. (2) documents fabricated to mis-inform Cold War allies or enemies or proxies thereof about the details of the events. and (3) documents fabricated to disinform internal constituencies: competing branches of government. Those who know me best know that I would never have bet my reputation and my career without such explicit confirmation. 4. or some other purpose. thereby helping to seal the cover on the program.

There is OVERWHELMING evidence that the UFO phenomenon is real. The best private information I have been able to secure is that the organization responsible for managing the domain is comprised of less than 1000 people and was long ago privatized and pulled enitrely outside of the machinery of the political and military command structure. (2) the evidence spans far more than 50 years – rather it goes back thousands of years. rather than exclusively concentrating on the history of the pages themselves. So I ask you this: what if it is possible to engineer gravity? 100% of the scientific presumptions against interstellar travel – and by direct implication extraterrestrial visitation – must immediately be extinguished if there is a single credible demonstration of practical gravity engineering. The refutation must take into account the following facts: (1) compelling UFO evidence spans all nations. How is a family of monkeys to interpret a Palm Pilot III? Or a Boeing 777? Or a football game? Or a scientist shooting at them with a dart to tranquilize. because the historicity of the documents is not the most important question. It reports to no publicly elected or appointed leader. it is really only critical to validate any one of the principal documents. and the countless highly strange accompanying phenomena for which no one yet has a clear explanation: crop circles. Therefore. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and (3) the evidence is found to be exactly as it should be found when describing a phenomenon advanced far beyond humanity: it borders on the incomprehensible. peppered throughout the ancient books and scriptures of our ancestors. ANY such well-crafted documents – pristine in every detail or not – argue in behalf of the reality of the UFO phenomenon. It is astronomically unlikely that the massive and generally self-consistent evidence of extraterrestrial activity over the past five decades is simply a large coincidence or the product of a several good hoaxes. far more than discrediting these newly released documents through speculative criticisms based upon typographical errors or one or two seemingly anachronistic details. therefore we have not been and are not being visited by beings from other worlds. In the final analysis. but rather a self-selected governing body which today is comprised of a larger number of industrialists than military or civil officials. the thousands of reported landings. then MJ-12 was factual. The most important question is the historicity of the phenomenon they describe. The reason I have not "called out" the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and release them? Such a comparison is entirely fair and completely literal. etc. Indeed. examine. It is believed that a growing minority of this governing body wishes to move towards public release of the secret in the near future. the skeptic is charged with doing far. let me restate perhaps the only truly powerful scientific argument against its plausibility: gravitational propulsion is not possible. Focusing too much time on the provenance of the pages themselves is a mistake. For those involved in UFO research. cattle mutilations.more knowledge than the general public on the subject of UFOs. But perhaps the most significant motive to consider seriously the possibility that the UFO phenomenon is based in fact is that any integration of the majestic history of science with the profound history of faith would clearly demand some connective concept of such a high order. and it is reported in my book. There is good evidence to believe that open science is now flirting with such a demonstration. modernized or not. This argument is ultimately the only basis upon which the UFO phenomenon can be rejected as a product of our collective imagination. If only a single major document is validated. I am not aware of the existence of sufficient contrary data to refute the massive accumulation of evidence supporting the reality of the UFO phenomenon. the thousands of abduction experiences. and its confirmed existence and basic mission is to be added to the already overwhelming and far more powerful testimonial evidence in favor of the reality of the UFO phenomenon. because the most compelling proof that their storyline is basically true – short of new materials or events unfolding – is bound to come in the form of other corroborating historical research and witness testimony. As far as "proving" the pristine authenticity of the MJ-12 documents and their history is concerned. I ask the skeptic to step forward and comprehensively refute all the evidence: the millions of sightings. regardless of whether their populations have been exposed to science fiction. I strongly suggest that you focus your energies on tying together the historical events and people described in the documents. abduct.

If humanity is indeed the subject of a multimillennium process of education. or if another hypothesis can bring these questions into coherence with equal completeness. or perhaps economics destroying both as inefficient. It's taken me over a decade to separate one from the other. study and teach on a new level. I recommend you subscribe to Michael Lindemann's CNINews.MJ-12 documents within The Truth web site more prominently than the narrative is because we can begin to comprehend the UFO phenomenon only if we are capable of putting it into a coherent world view. it is of fundamental importance that we demonstrate our ability to think. but vital at this time to step beyond our preexisting world view and expand the boundaries of our imagination. Will we choose to step out of our Truman Show?
If you wish to receive a regular update on happenings in the UFO research community. At the core of this can be found information of high quality and extreme importance. As Mr. just as several hundred million scientists have done more recently. then there is indeed a grander integrated story of our history. you must keep an open mind and remember that the UFO domain is littered with fantasy and garbage. If the hypothesis of The Truth is correct. How else can the implications of such astonishing information possibly be considered? The Truth represents one continuing effort to rigorously integrate a world view given such knowledge. It proposes that several billion faithful human beings across history have indeed been doing their faltering best to follow their truth. if not genesis itself. Lindemann does. In that case it is not only important. then we must ask ourselves how we can avoid spiraling towards one of three unambiguous and harsh futures: science deconstructing faith as fantasy. religion destroying science as evil. If we reject the hypothesis of The Truth and nothing replaces it that can as coherently connect science and faith in history.
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.

Detailed analysis by Hill shows that such motion is inconsistent with aerodynamic requirements. and ground or water were disturbed. in my opinion the above-referenced. including detailed calculations. Imagine a place of learning in such a city where every classroom is a different world's history book. they sit level to hover. The strength of the compilation lies in its thoughtful separation of wheat from chaff. a voyage to another planet. in general. and descend by "falling-leaf" or "silver-dollar-wobble" motions. tree branches were parted or broken.
Imagine that one day a new city is constructed somewhere on Earth. Manipulation of the acceleration-type
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. that is. while discriminating against propulsion mechanisms involving jet action. roof tiles were dislodged. Hal Puthoff. One of the most consistently-observed characteristics of UFO flight is a ubiquitous pattern in which they tilt to perform all maneuvers. but totally consistent with some form of repulsive force-field propulsion. Specifically. Perhaps surprising to the casually interested. as the following discussion shows. and every field trip. In an effort to examine the force-field propulsion hypothesis yet further. Under close analysis the subtleties of these interactions combine to point unequivocally to a repulsive force field surrounding the craft. The data were compiled over decades of research by a Chief ScientistManager at NASA's Langley Research Center who acted as an informal clearinghouse for UFO-related data. Hill arranged to have various forms of jet-supported and rotor-supported circular flying platforms built and tested. rather than defying the laws of physics as naive interpretation might suggest. Hill analyzed a number of cases involving near-field interactions with an apparent craft in which some form of force was in evidence. where a spacetime port is established as a centerpoint of interaction among Earth-dwellers and visitors from elsewhere. under careful examination the observations. concise summary of engineering-type data available.. and found the above motions the most economical for control purposes. and. One of the consequences of the above identification of field propulsion type by Hill is his conclusion. instead appear to be solidly commensurate with them. versions.. tilt forward to move forward. a "Universe City". THEY ARE WATCHING US NOW. recently-published book provides the most reliable. in particular. These include examples in which a person or vehicle was affected. originally-classified. computer simulation and wind-tunnel studies. pure electric or magnetic effects. or the emission of energetic particles or radiation (although the latter may accompany the propulsive mechanism as a secondary effect). gravity-canceling. a respected theoretical physicist. a field that is. supported by detailed calculation. Hill himself acted as test pilot in early.TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES. had the following to say about a book titled Unconventional Flying Objects by Paul Hill: "To the degree that the engineering characteristics of UFOs can be estimated by empirical observation. and the analysis of the former into coherent patterns. Such a field acts on all masses in its sphere of influence as does a gravitational field. gravitational-like in nature. objects were deflected. bank to turn. What are the kinds of things we would learn at such a place? Their Technology Dr. BUT NOT ALTERED
. THE COSMOS IS THEIR OCEAN. Not satisfied with paper analyses alone. that supersonic flight through the atmosphere without sonic booms is easily engineered. Pictures of these platforms are included in the text. Further detailed investigation indicates that the particular form of force field propulsion that satisfies observational constraints is what Hill labels a directed acceleration field. Corollary to this conclusion is that observed accelerations ~100 g's relative to the environment could be sustained without on-board high-g forces. tilt backward to stop.

Another typical nugget of information is found in Hill's discussion of the results of the analysis of a possible UFO artifact. but 6. horizontal-path trips. the famous Ubatuba magnesium fragments claimed to have originated from an exploded unidentified craft near Ubatuba. or other low-velocity objects would follow streamline paths around the craft rather than impact it.7% denser than ordinary pure magnesium. Hill's calculation shows that this observation can be accounted for by assuming that the sample contained only the pure isotope Mg26. In other words. and subsonic velocity ratios. intermediate-level. high-acceleration departures on ballistic-arc trajectories with high-speed coast segments are more efficient than. An additional benefit of such field control is that drops of moisture. such a result must be considered at least anomalous. Since the only isotope separation on a significant scale in terrestrial manufacture is that of uranium. even at supersonic speeds. rather than permitting a heating problem. A further example of the type of correlation that emerges from Hill's analytical approach is provided by an analysis of the economy of various flight-path profiles. Another puzzle resolved by Hill's analysis is that craft observed to travel continuously at Mach 4 or 5 do not appear to generate temperatures sufficiently high to be destructive to known materials.force field would. and possibly as evidence for extraterrestrial manufacture. compression-free zone without shockwave in which the vehicle is surrounded by a subsonic flow-pattern of streamlines. although exhibiting the application of physics and engineering principles clearly beyond our present-day capabilities. reveal the dedication and thoroughness of Hill's approach to his self-assigned task. based on solid analysis. This he correlates with the observation that UFO departures are of the dramatically high-angle. both in terms of required impulse-per-unit-mass and time-of-flight parameters. however. insects. that these platforms. In effect the airflow approaches. depositing no energy in the process. Brazil. for example. then surviving it with heat-resistant materials as is the case of the Shuttle whose surface temperatures can reach 1300 oC. along with discussion of the broad implications of this material. and the opposite during hover or landing maneuvers. In the final analysis. dust. result in a constant-pressure. results in an indistinct blur. one must conclude that Hill has assembled as good a case as can be made on the basis of presently available data that the observation of some "unconventional flying objects" is compatible with the presence of engineered platforms weighing in at something around 30 tons. Analysis shows this to be a reasonable outcome of an expected re-absorption of reflected light by the surrounding plasma in the longer-length path associated with the more oblique view. which are capable of 100-g accelerations and 9000-mph speeds in the atmosphere. It is shown that high-angle. is Hill's supporting argumentation. Also of interest is Hill's analysis of the spectra and intensity of an apparent plasma sheath surrounding such craft. necessarily by an oblique line-of-sight. The wealth of material in these sections. The resolution of this potential problem is shown by Hill to derive from the fact that the forcefield control that results in the prevention of shockwave drag as discussed above is also effective in preventing aerodynamic heating. rain. UFOs appear to prevent high aerodynamic heating rates. and the energetics of such travel. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and anomalous in its trace composition of other elements. then springs away from the craft. Perhaps more important for the technical reader. do not appear to defy these principles in any fundamental way. high-acceleration type. Laboratory analysis of the samples found the magnesium to be not only of exceptional purity.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. for example. Mg25 and Mg26. a blue shift and intensity increase during a "power-up" phase. the details of which correlate with what one would expect in terms of it being a secondary effect associated with the propulsion system. Additional calculations concerning the parameters of interstellar travel (including relativistic effects). a figure well beyond the experimental error of the measurement. rather than the naturally-occurring distribution among isotopes Mg24. have been performed and are included in tabular and graphical form. An additional fine point that emerges from this analysis is resolution of the paradox that observation on a direct line-of-sight to a near part of the craft can reveal a metallic-like structure while the attempt to observe the outline of the craft.

if they stop. The first visitors to our world must have mastered the science of space-time. this view of the past of your destination is useful. in such a vision. every shower is warm. Basketball-size generators are sufficient to power gravitational spacecraft. for it teaches you about a place before you ever reach it. they witness the literal past of both their source and destination. Omniscientists would test hypotheses made from learning the secrets of the specialists seeking fact and the studies of the generalists seeking meaning. It would qualify as a religion because it demands faith in one tenet above all. what we will learn from them will boggle our minds." -. Their biological sciences will be even more astounding. Every home is lit. for all kinds of navigation and scientific processes. Perhaps even the ability to communicate over cosmic distances instantly and in real time. or any other machinery and electronics requiring energy. Whatever they call their sciences and their faiths. They travel into the depths of space-time. yielding travel effectively at arbitrary superluminal velocities.Arthur C. in the form of old light just then reaching their point in space-time. the spacecraft of these beings must have the ability to move by warp propulsion. It qualifies as a science. because its hypotheses are readily and objectively testable. that a love for truth is enshrined as the path towards betterment. With spacetime machines. or constipating dams. and there are no dangling powerlines. BUT NOT ALTERED
. truth would be the product of fact and meaning.Their Science "Any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic. At the mid point of their voyages. Their craft slip through the fabric of space-time as if they are gravitationally falling towards their destination. every vehicle is fueled. they could resolve and record events occurring as they did hundreds of years ago here. Imagine equipping a college biology student with a new kind of bioengineering tool
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Clarke What must the sciences be for life forms perhaps millions of years evolved beyond humanity? Perhaps their sciences might be blanketed by a new science of generalist studies called omniscience. because there can be little question that at least some visitors to this world somehow recorded at least several important moments in Earth history. Is it possible that we could one day watch a 3-dimensional film of a real tyrannosaur on a hunt for food? Or the crucifixion of Jesus? But when exploring space. They can leave Earth and travel among worlds as we do among cities on vacations and business trips. Crafts are equipped to examine the light striking them from their destination. leaving the present of their point of origination and voyaging towards the present of their destination. these beings have acquired the means to tap the vacuum of spacetime for unlimited and ecologically cost-free energy. Indeed. With space-time as their mechanism. They will have the ability to work DNA as a sculptor forms clay. They may even have developed the ability to employ control of space-time to accomplish such wonders as teleportation or replication – essentially through some kind of Xerox machine for patterns in space-time. With a sufficiently powerful telescope pointing back at Earth. burning gasolines. But they probably wouldn't need to. whether they be strictly mechanical or not. defined as a discipline for and belief in establishing the truth among the experiences of life.

and form communities in harmony with balanced ecosystems.like "Visual Basic for DNA" and you'll glimpse the awesome power and responsibility of such knowledge. The greatest question I have of their science is where the natural and ethical balance exists between biology and technology. and perhaps even servants. through bioengineering the double-helix. and planned world histories for promising young species such as we. They may have even done so on this planet itself in the past.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. They have engineered the ability to heal bodies. They have very possibly engineered entire worlds. animals. these beings have created all kinds of new plants. If it is ethical to do so. most likely either through patterned growth stimulation or temporal biological damage reversal. BUT NOT ALTERED
. They have engineered the ability to control their home world environments through managed weather.

I believe an enculturization process would be required to mitigate the otherwise potentially lethal shock to foundations of human thought and existance built over thousands of years. but they've "never landed on the White House lawn". Mary. And now. But why would the beings above wish to keep even their existence formally hidden? Their craft have been buzzing around our skies for years. How would it managed? Earth's recorded history is replete with examples of why it is absolutely impossible for primitive and advanced intellectual civilizations to come in contact with one another without damage to the lesser developed society. who is the Messiah.. Jesus took Peter. Following are just a few of the many examples of one of the most common themes across the Bible: Do not be afraid. our passage through the kairos is imminent. and on the earth peace. and his face shone like the sun.." The angel reassured them: "Do not be afraid. "such as no one on earth could bleach them. Thus. and will be called the Son of the Most High.. confronted with beings from another world. BUT NOT ALTERED
. an "angel of the Lord" appeared to shepherds watching their flocks at night. and you will name him Jesus. for you have found favor with God.. and bear a son.. And how could such a secret possibly be kept from public view within an open government like ours? If my hypothesis is correct. and now in what would become a Christian companion testament. THEY ARE WATCHING US NOW. 4:46-54) -Six days later. the angel "stood before them. for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day a Savior. and his clothes became dazzling white. As was God’s message so often in the Hebrew bible ."
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Such a process could easily require half a century. where a new challenge frightened the people." Then." (Lk. by themselves. Jesus received affirmation for what impended from his Father. James and John to a "high mountain.. the Lord. He will be great." Mark adds.TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES. you will conceive . and the glory of the Lord shone around them. praising God and saying. ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven. "suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host. and they were terrified. 1:26-38) -Then.. then at some point in the foreseeable future the teachers from our faiths will return to Earth in a formal and open way. "do not be afraid. and we are advised to look to both science and scripture for advice on our reaction to the phenomenon we are witnessing.
If the hypothesis of this work is correct. The process of actually doing so would be sophisticated and long ago generally planned. -"Do not be afraid. Jesus saw their terror and told them simply. THE COSMOS IS THEIR OCEAN AND THEY HAVE BEEN MINDFUL. 2:8-14) -Then the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the water." (Jn. "he was transfigured before them.’" (Lk." There.

Again when faced with numinosity so holy that humans could not comprehend. 2:11-20)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. for he has been raised. as he said: come. I say. 17:1-9) (See also Lk. listen to him!’" At this.. and his clothing white as snow.. it is good for us to be here.’ (Matt. He is not here. to create a single New Man.’. talking with him. ‘Do not be afraid. you are fellow-citizens with the holy people of God and part of God’s household. (New Jerusalem Bible. 28:1-7) -The New Jerusalem Bible translates this portion of Paul’s epistle-general to the gentile communities around Ephesus: Do not forget. and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee. with him I am well pleased. after the Sabbath. His purpose was. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.. the disciples "fell to the ground" in fear. ‘This is my Son. for an angel of the Lord. 9:2-3) "Suddenly there appeared . the Beloved. For he is the peace between us. without hope and without God. Then Peter said to Jesus. But the angel said to the women..(Mk. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified... and from the cloud a voice said. at early morning.. His appearance was like lightning." (Matt. see the place where he lay. you that used to be so far all have been brought close. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. 9:28-36) -On Sunday. So you are no longer aliens or foreign visitors. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. there you will see him. came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. by restoring peace. But now in Christ Jesus. Jesus said "do not be afraid." Jesus then ordered them. descending from heaven. Eph.." While Peter was still speaking. by destroying in his own person the hostility. "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. ‘Lord. He has been raised from the dead. BUT NOT ALTERED
. that you were at that time separate from Christ and excluded from membership with Israel. and has made the two into one entity and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart. Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" went to the tomb.. limited to this world. Moses and Elijah. "suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. aliens with no part in the covenants of the Promise. by the blood of Christ.

Pearl Harbor was the result. and firm
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. As a dismayed British Admiral reported back from Washington to Winston Churchill in London in 1941: "There is no U. or OSS.'" The bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 taught Washington and the Defense Department a painful lesson. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The black arts of espionage and subversion were viewed with suspicion and disdain by the military establishment. Its head was William J. a Wall Street lawyer and a Republican who happened also to be a Columbia Law school contemporary. it was to be not a creature of the military but of civilians. President Madison used undercover operations to stir up trouble for the Spanish in Florida. the British Special Operations Executive (S. and formed no part of standard training in either the Army or the Navy. by modern standards. When Franklin D. and often unchallenged. But it was war and not peace that has set the tone for American intelligence over the past 50 years. The Sons of Liberty. spying in the cloak and dagger sense was largely left to the diplomats. the CIA's Black Operations. the colonists showed a keen appreciation of the value of spies. such episodes had had little impact on America's military culture.Keeping A Secret This Big? How could a secret such this be kept. who usually find the concept of deception and seduction anathema. Yet by the arrival of World War 2. there is little argument that secrecy is essential to protect the lives of those going into battle. from 1945 to 1998 Secrets and the culture of secrecy are the lifeblood of the intelligence business. Donovan. the United States had almost no functioning intelligence service of any kind and while code breaking was in its infancy. On the contrary. Running arms and trainers to guerrilla groups. taking an active part in sabotage and intelligence operations and operating extremely sophisticated propaganda and disinformation campaigns.) was already running a very effective secret war against the Nazis in Europe and the Japanese in Asia. what the British would have described as terrorists.E. including Theodore Roosevelt when he encouraged the Panamanian revolt against Colombia that ultimately led to Panama's independence. the America looked to Britain which had been leading the fight against the Nazis in Europe. These 'Agents' are. from the very beginnings of the Revolutionary War against the British. To understand what could be done. for the most part. he laid the foundation for America's first truly modern intelligence organization. If there had been adequate intelligence and competent analysis.O. And while the Navy's codebreakers had worked wonders in reading Japanese signals traffic in the 1930's in an operation codenamed Magic. amateurs without special qualifications and without training in Observation. For secrecy is the cloak that allows deeds with the dagger to go unnoticed. which is what the spies feel they are constantly waging. By 1941.S. even by a small group? Let us review an era during which rose the pinnacle of the institutions of secrecy. a World War One hero. there was no system for analyzing the product to provide sophisticated assessment of its import. Secret Intelligence Service. In wartime. Several other presidents were to follow suit. They have no special means of communication or other facilities and they seldom have a clearer brief than 'to go and have a look. the ships and their sailors could have been moved from a sheltered and largely defenseless harbor out to the open sea. Thomas Jefferson used a mercenary force under William Eaton to try to topple the pasha of Tripoli. and war. Roosevelt ordered the creation of the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) in 1941. as the public understands it. the SOE became the model for what became the Office of Strategic Services. The failure of American intelligence at the beginning of World War !! did not mean that the nation had no appreciation of the value of intelligence. For the intelligence community. Americans are inclined to refer to 'their SIS'. Prior to World War II. waged covert war against the Crown before the Revolutionary War. there is little difference between peace. but by this they mean the small and uncoordinated for of 'Special Agents' who travel abroad on behalf of one or another of the Governmental Departments.

Donovan was never let in on the existence of the Magic codebreaking operation. It was at this point that the divisions. so the tone of these early days was to be perpetuated decades later. the librarian of Congress. harrying the Nazis and the Japanese and contributing significantly to the Allied victory." one read. which would oversee the operation of the Central
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. His initial recruits were drawn from the same East Coast Ivy League establishment that produced him. of the Democrat FDR. William Casey. George Bush. and as Donovan proposed plans for transforming the OSS into a peacetime intelligence agency. As the end of the war approached. as senior personnel who were as comfortable in Wall Street law offices. was sealed. Donovan was not a man to make the military chiefs any more comfortable about the creation of a civilian intelligence agency beyond their purview. He was also the enthusiastic choice of the British who had been working hard behind the scenes to try and get a man they considered their close friend into a position of such power. of course. OSS became a mocking acronym for Oh So Social. As he began to work more closely with British intelligence on joint operations in Europe. President Harry Truman may have decided to disband OSS. but peace is a very different world. and on January 22nd 1946 issued the directive that created the National Intelligence Authority (NIA). In this. The early intelligence community founded and run in wartime. banks. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and headed off the challenge by proposing to place COI under the control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in June 1942. OSS performed well. Langer and Conyers Read. Donovan's fate. Wartime is like that. like many intelligence officers. it is thought. It would be many years before the American intelligence community embraced the difference between peace and war and understood the distinctions between legal and illegal. or genteel East Coast drawing rooms developed the business of covert warfare. and importing some of their centuries-matured skills in subversion and deception. cooperating closely with Britain's SOE in running covert operations throughout the war. so did the ranks of Ivy Leaguers who staffed it. and with FDR now dead. but he believed in the value of a functioning intelligence service. He had demonstrated a flair for intelligence gathering on several informal missions in Asia and Europe.provoked public outrage. by J. operated with unusual freedom. Edgar Hoover. So while COI was performing a function the military had avoided."Sleuths Would Snoop On U. however. One of his first was Archibald MacLeish. Academics such as historians James Phinney Baxter III. moral and immoral. Donovan's legacy would live on. Although COI was formed in the summer of 1941. and president. relished the role of elitist outsiders and so a culture that continues to this day was born. American intelligence was little different from the Soviets.S. the whole operation was very nearly derailed by a black propaganda campaign wielded.friend. There was little regard to the niceties of the law or the constraints of morality. moves were made to kill the infant that was starting to flex its muscles beyond the oversight of the military brass. William L. was one of the early members of OSS. and seemed the natural choice to lead the COI. They were distrusted by the insiders and. a superb irony if indeed Hoover was behind the leaks of Donovan's plans . As OSS grew. It was a culture that produced the future DCI. There was another important foundation stone laid at this time too. for a democratic society. victims of inter-agency in-fighting and bureaucratic jealousy. and economist Calvin Hoover formed the initial team at COI. The DCI under Ronald Reagan. compartmentalization and competition that have so characterized America's modern intelligence and military establishments had its roots. Even J. Elitist or not. merely a constant requirement to achieve the mission and to do so in utmost secrecy. Newspaper articles alleging the creation of a US Gestapo . and that of the OSS. The men and women generally came from the same background. Edgar Hoover at the FBI grew nervous. understood the same traditions and were outside the traditional culture of Washington. the British or the French but the huge growth of American intelligence during the Cold War combined with its elitist heritage and unchallenged operational ethos created a remote and unsupervised community that. military heads started to be suspicious of his growing power base. Donovan saw this. beginning with his own honeymoon in Japan in 1919. at which point the outfit assumed the name of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). did whatever was necessary to achieve strategic goals or tactical missions. and was operating at the direct behest of the president.

fighting under the flag of the United Nations against North Korea and the Red Chinese. largely by taking back responsibility for clandestine operations from the War Department. Eisenhower it had found a sponsor whose vast battlefield experience taught him the value of high-grade intelligence. turned out to be the perfect cover or any covert operation the CIA wished to run. or were perceived to be. Fresh from the defeat of the Nazis. pouring unprecedented amounts of intelligence into the US. The first head of the CIG was Sidney W. social infrastructure virtually non-existent and political systems in Germany and the now-occupied states of Eastern Europe beholden to the military administrations of the Four Powers. created the battlefield on which the new CIA would be waging its covert war for the next forty years. Under his watch. and legitimate.Intelligence Group (CIG). fuelled by the existence of nuclear weaponry. Eisenhower had the vision to take an area of intelligence operations. its European satellites or in countries that actually were. It was the National Security Act of 1947 that took CIG from being an agency that operated at the behest of the Presidency into a fully-fledged. such as SIGINT (signals intelligence) and move it to a significantly higher level. and the ultimate blockade of Berlin. The acquisition of nuclear power by the Soviet Union created the specter of devastation on a scale even more horrific than that visited on Hiroshima and Nagasaki being inflicted on the American homeland. the Cold War defined the CIA. diplomatic hostility between the Soviets and the other major powers led to increasing isolation of the Soviet controlled sector of Germany from the west. underpinned by the same culture of wartime secrecy that pervaded OSS during the war. the National Security Agency. such as Winston Churchill. part of the American government under the new name of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The CIA had found its raison d'etre. France and Russia. it was also this Act that created the loophole through which the CIA has used to justify a swathe of morally. These included "advising the NSC (National Security Council) on intelligence. fall out shelters were common and schoolchildren were taught to hide under their desks in the event of a nuclear attack. Some simple statistics give a measure
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Whether it was in the Soviet Union. In Asia. This loophole consisted of a phrase tacked onto the end of the CIA's laundry list of legislated responsibilities. America. He was swiftly succeeded by Air Force General Hoyt S. performing 'additional services of common concern' for the governmentwide intelligence community and performing 'such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the national security as the National Security Council may from time to time direct. legally and ethically questionable operations. President Truman. were warning could pose a clear and present danger to the democracies in Europe and America. Souers. This is not to deny that in the late 1940's and early 1950's that there was no reason for fear.'" The phrase "such other functions". Economies were in a shambles. a businessman from the Mid West like his friend. making recommendations on related matters. Vandenburg proceeded to build the CIG into a reasonably sized outfit numbering some 800 officers. Britain. a man whose diplomacy and background Truman felt would help the fledgling outfit meld gracefully with the military establishment. which had briefly taken control after the disbanding of OSS. Vandenburg. At the time the CIG transmuted into the CIA. producing intelligence estimates and reports. America was soon to be at war again. The NSA was to grow into the most powerful intelligence agency in the world with responsibility for all US communications security and for Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Even children talked of the "Commies" and the "Red Menace". and in President Dwight D. became a huge organization whose web of listening posts crisscrossed the globe. The fear and suspicion of this era. In Europe. The transition from the 'Hot War" against Germany and Japan to the Cold War against the Soviet Union and its allies was virtually seamless for many in the intelligence community. It was a convenient justification for business as usual. founded on the day of his election in 1952 (although actually signed into law by President Truman in one of the last acts of his Presidency). BUT NOT ALTERED
. Soviet surrogates the world over. here was a new and just as threatening enemy who allied leaders. both America and the Soviet Union were trying to consolidate their post-War positions in the rubble-strewn continent of Europe while at the same time trying to undermine that of the other.

His frustration was deepened in August 1953 when the Soviets detonated a hydrogen bomb without the United States having an inkling that it was about to happen. Philco. The CIA had no need to feel blind-sided by the creation of the NSA.000 people and has a budget in excess of $3 billion. "I believe the country needs this information. Even those with inside knowledge will rarely. GE and from educational institutions like MIT. talk about what they know and the exact capabilities of the NSA continue to be one of the best kept secrets of our time. a $25 million research project overseen by the NSA at its new HQ in Fort Meade. Since its inception.000 square feet of permanently sealed windows. His fears about capture were allayed by his faulty understanding that Soviet air defenses could not reach that high and by CIA officials who assured him that the flimsy nature of the U-2 would guarantee that even if one was to be hit. NSA is just one of several striking examples within the American intelligence community of the culture of secrecy that has inculcated the democratic process for much of this century. Those who have read the raw intelligence produced by the NSA talk with awe about its ability to apparently listen to any telephone conversation anywhere in the world but the details remain thin. and made the United States the pre-eminent gatherer of electronic intelligence in the world. president of MIT. Out of this frustration grew the U-2 spy plane program. It was also instrumental in giving the NSA a dim. the joke that has lasted through the decades remains current: NSA actually stands for No Such Agency. tens of thousands of people have worked at Fort Meade at a cost well in excess of $100 billion and yet such was the culture of secrecy that its very existence remained a secret until the publication of James Bamford's book. Dulles saw the potential immediately. Eisenhower also accelerated the development of computer technology through Project Lightning. Killian. Eisenhower's other pet project was aerial reconnaissance. The president signed off almost at once.000 feet the aircrafts' cameras took pictures of stunning clarity and detail and Eisenhower rejoiced in the intelligence they delivered. it would disintegrate into so many pieces that the Soviets
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Inside the thousand acre headquarters compound at Fort Meade is around 2 million square feet of office space. they could not provide detailed information on what was happening deep inside the country. very little is known about the detailed workings of the Agency. seven acres of main frame computers housed underground.of its size. 7. and I'm going to approve it. While the ferret missions could nibble at the skirts of Soviet airspace. the U-2 program outperformed expectations. An intelligence official who was connected with these missions called their achievement "one of the great secrets of the Cold War"." From the beginning. or to suffer a systems failure. through the use of "ferret" missions flown by airborne reconnaissance units which deliberately triggered Soviet radar emissions. Edwin H. The Puzzle Palace. with the input of Dr. From 70. adding. inside the intelligence community. in 1982.560. Land. if ever. "We could have launched a strategic bomber attack over the polar icecap and the Russians would never have known". Even so. but with chilling prescience closed the meeting by saying. and employing the brightest brains from corporations such as IBM. The sheer telecommunications and computing power it placed in the hands of the NSA dwarfed anything anyone else in the world could come up with. Some day one of these machines is going to be caught and then we'll have a storm. RCA. Land immediately saw the possibilities of combining the newly-developed high-flying U-2 aircraft with the latest in photographic technology. Eisenhower was frustrated the ease with which Soviet officials could easily learn about America's military geography through publicly available information while he was almost blind to what was happening there. BUT NOT ALTERED
. but significant picture of the strengths and weaknesses of Soviet air defenses. But I'll tell you one thing. Land and Killian presented the concept to Eisenhower in 1954. Project Lightning was one of the best investments in intelligence ever made. The NSA currently employs more than 20. Sperry Rand. and he. the inventor of the Polaroid camera. developed as a result of a task force led by James R. From the day it was founded until the present time. Maryland. which were in turn analyzed by the NSA. and suggested to Allen Dulles at the CIA that the agency pitch for the job of developing a reconnaissance program based on high-altitude spy photography.000 linear feet of telephone wire and 70.

more than the State Department's total annual budget. a complete cover organization was established to disguise its existence and for 13 years even the existence of the NRO was kept totally secret. that cameras can be made to lie by shrewd opponents and that old-fashioned human intelligence (HUMINT) should not be totally ignored. "The CIA promised us that the Russians would never get a U-2 pilot alive. It was only a slip in a document prepared by a Congressional committee that included the acronym NRO that led reporters from the Washington Post to speculate about the existence of an organization that employs around 4. but it was also still virtually intact. at first revealing only that an American spy plane had been shot down inside Soviet territory. White House bitterness at being misled by the CIA spilled into outrage. a
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The president's son. That first article did little to lift the veil of secrecy and the existence of the NRO was not officially acknowledged until 1992. congressional investigators discovered that the $304 million cost of the new building was 30 per cent higher than was necessary. On May 1st 1960. In 1990. It would take decades for the United States to realize that not every picture is worth a thousand words. and that the pilot was alive and in custody. Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev cleverly leaked the news out in two parts. the NRO bought 14 acres more than was needed for a new complex near Dulles airport outside Washington DC. fostered an almost evangelical belief in technical intelligence gathering among those at the highest levels of government that was to pervade the administration of American secret agencies for years to come. procurement and operation of all American reconnaissance satellites. It also showed how. a U-2 piloted by Gary Powers was shot down over the Ural Mountains. The culture of secrecy was such that the NRO had been able to operate with minimal oversight despite the size of its budget and the thousands of people who worked there and the truly priceless intelligence its satellites were able to deliver to successive Presidents. the NRO with its huge budget. was able to operate beneath a shroud of total secrecy. This piece of property speculation was done without the authority of the Pentagon or the Director of Central Intelligence. it also demonstrated once again just what can happen when there is little oversight.would not be able to work out what had happened. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Gary Powers notwithstanding. Coincidentally. they learned that the NRO had quietly stockpiled $4 billion in surplus cash . In addition. The National Reconnaissance Office was handed responsibility for the design. America is able to host enormous secrets and keep them. who gave the pilots parachutes and cyanide capsules against the very real possibility they would survive either an attack or systems failure. It was a classic bit of disinformation by the CIA. thousands of employees and stunning product that was used by thousands of other members of successive administrations. Finally. who worked on his father's staff. it was in the field of HUMINT that things were going nothing like as smoothly as they were at the NSA and NRO. So secret was the NRO that from the outset its budget was hidden within those of other agencies. The Americans assumed the plane and pilot were completely lost and developed a cover story that was immediately blown apart by Kruschev revealing that not only had the plane been shot down. coupled with the advances being made in SIGINT by the NSA.000 people with an annual operating budget of around $5 billion. would later fume. The CIA's first forays into covert operations using human assets were under the control of Frank Wisner. Like the NSA. The brilliance of the technology behind the NRO's satellites. The result was the eventual demise of the NRO and the creation of a new National Imagery and Mapping Agency. While this undoubtedly helped the NRO do its work more effectively. The surplus land was intended for two other buildings that the NRO planned to sell or lease. despite having one of the most open societies in the world. And then they gave the SOB a parachute!" The debacle was the signal for the shifting of responsibility for secret aerial reconnaissance from the CIA to a new agency that was brought into creation five days after Gary Powers was sentenced to ten years in jail by a Soviet court.

He was also behind the scheme that floated balloons carrying printed propaganda into Eastern Europe. with a view to reestablishing the monarchy under King Zog. which took place. (Of course winning the game in Iran was crucial not just for that reason. they demonstrated that the global game of chess between the forces of free market capitalism and the Communists was under way with a vengeance. The DIA's main task was to coordinate the intelligence and paramilitary activities of the various branches of the armed services. This also led to the debacle in Albania where a British and American covert operations against the Communist leader Enver Hoxha. the results were achieved through quiet diplomacy. JFK was a firm believer in paramilitary covert ops from the start of his presidency. Whatever the moral and ethical implications of the CIA intervening in this way. the air of failure deepened as campaigns in Indonesia and Vietnam failed. A Defense Department review panel reported in 1970. Operations started to spiral into fantasy land with the fabled plots of Operation Mongoose to make Castro's beard fall out. and on February 1st 1961 had ordered the NSC to concentrate more effort on the development of "counter guerrilla forces". not only for the ham fisted manner of its execution but also because it demonstrated that the glamorous young president John F. emigres that they had trained and re-infiltrated were caught and shot. he negotiated with the Army to create the first paramilitary training of CIA operatives at Fort Benning. They were to find more success elsewhere. on April 17th. proved abortive and costly. and in human terms were a disaster. Potential oil revenues were tremendous. the CIA came to believe that it could run world events according to its own set of rules and make large portions of the world unattainable to Communism. After a reasonable grace period JFK sacked him. of the game being played from Moscow. The diving suit fiasco was especially bizarre. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and both the British and Americans saw the potential for operations similar in style and content to the Jedburgh missions they had both run in France during the war to assist and expand the efforts of the Resistance. Wisner was the brains behind the establishment of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. It was crippled from the start by too many conflicting demands. Emboldened by these successes. the propaganda front organizations that did so much to feed western viewpoints to people behind the Iron Curtain. Donovan. in other words. By this time he was well briefed on the Bay of Pigs invasion. where covert action by the CIA led to the establishment of pro-western. commanders on the ground wanted tactical intelligence. The most important fallout was that Kennedy shifted responsibility for paramilitary operations from the CIA to the Defense Department. the legendary spymaster. so did attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro and the Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba. another set of initials to add to the growing panoply of three letter agencies adorning the American national intelligence landscape. a bland name for an outfit that ran some of the most daring operations in early CIA history. Wisner was appointed to run the Office of Policy Coordination (OPC). and on October 1st 1961 approved the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency. The debacle was the end of Allen Dulles. deal-making and promises of financial aid. Kennedy was not infallible. The Bay of Pigs was the greatest fiasco of all. and by undercutting similar efforts by the British.) After Iran and Guatemala. notably in Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954." At the CIA. James A.veteran of the OSS and just as much a product of the East Coast Ivy League nexus as was his OSS boss Bill Donovan. Most critically. the exact reverse. In neither case was paramilitary force used. poison him with a diving suit exposed to a bacteriological agent and provoke uprisings against him by declaring him the Anti-Christ. the CIA did much to expand American influence in the Middle East. the CIA's covert plans went badly awry. Of course they could not know at the time that much of what was being planned was also reported directly back to Moscow by the British traitor Kim Philby and the Canadian spy Gordon Lonsdale. There was serious dissent against Soviet rule in the Baltic states and the Ukraine. calamitously. Georgia and established the precedent that his OPC would coordinate and conduct covert operations behind enemy lines. and most notably pro-American governments. as did the British. British and American agents were lost by the dozen. He saw the time as ripe for such operations. probably of all time. The operations had very limited success. "The principal problems of the DIA can be summarized as too many jobs and too many masters. who appeared broken by the failure. the lawyer who had
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it was a marvel that engineers could clandestinely get so close to their target and tap into the enemy's phone wires. almost by omission."
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. flawed in execution.
In 1975. until the operation was exposed by US spy Edward Lee Howard. but not before the CIA Technical Services Division had impregnated the lining of the suit with a fungus that would cause an extremely unpleasant skin condition. Intelligence gathering operations fared somewhat better. that use of covert action to influence political events. but much more sophisticated operation.negotiated the spy swap of KGB agent Rudolf Abel for Gary Powers. to escape our attention. While the overall picture of CIA operations during this period is one of incompetence. in which a tunnel was built under Soviet military headquarters and the phones tapped. and it was not until 1958. The intelligence haul was impressive. There was so much of it. They heard every conversation. and provided a key piece of intelligence. a vital part of a campaign that eventually led to the Soviet withdrawal in 1988. given that Donovan had negotiated in good faith. The CIA arranged for Donovan to give Fidel Castro a new diving suit. As a feat of engineering. Whether he knew. A CIA asset had managed to join the construction team that was laying cables for the KGB First Directorate's new HQ at Yasenevo.. They point to influencing the election of moderates in Portugal in the 1970's and the support for the mujahadeen in Afghanistan with Stinger missiles. No other indicator of the degree to which secrets are kept hidden from public view is needed than to report that all of the data mined by Gold in the 1950's remained classified well into the 1990's. a democratically elected leader whose policies just happened not to coincide with the CIA's. the Americans decided to do the same in Berlin. certainly endorsed by the CIA. the CIA mined real gold from TAW. or instinctively mistrusted any gifts the CIA might bring.. It was a brilliant scheme in conception. that indicated the Soviets did not intend to launch an aggressive attack on Europe. no foreign leader too trifling. These cables connected the building with the heart of the communist party power base in Moscow itself. Former KGB general Oleg Kalugin called it "The CIA's greatest coup. For six years. The next year. After seeing the success of a British operation in Vienna in 1949 code name Silver. and much remains secret to this day. because the Soviets knew exactly what was going on thanks to the treachery of the British spy George Blake. BUT NOT ALTERED
. It was a stunning bit of treachery. in one of the most embarrassing 12 month periods (The Year Of Intelligence) that the Agency has ever lived through. two years after the Soviets shut the tunnel down by pretending to trip over it by accident that the last of the tapes was processed. Operation Gold was the model for a similar. who switched off the heaters and rushed refrigeration units into the tunnel. and laced the breathing tubes with the germ that causes tuberculosis. Senator Frank Church was to wonder that the CIA was directing covert action against "leaders of weak countries that could not possibly threaten the United States. there is an argument. the CIA planted a bug on underground telecommunications cables at Trpoitsk. was successful beyond Iran and Guatemala. the lawyer disrupted one of the Cold War's strangest operations. which lies 25 miles southwest of Moscow. In an operation code named TAW. For whatever reason.179 paramilitaries who had taken part in the Bay of Pigs operation. as opposed to achieving intelligence gathering. Not so worthy was the orchestration of President Allende of Chile in 1973. It was farcical that the heaters in the tunnel would melt the snow on the road above.. the Church Committee dragged all these events under the microscope of Senate hearings. Everything. Where the Soviets made a mistake was in thinking the Americans could not decipher any of the coded traffic intercepted by Gold. And it was doomed because from the start of the intelligence gathering in February 1955 to when it ended in April 1956. the Donovan assistant assigned to carry the diving suit replaced it with one he had himself bought. that planeloads of tapes were flown from Berlin to Washington to be decrypted by a team of CIA analysts." This did the CIA become the scapegoat for subversive actions real or imagined the world over. causing near heart failure among the operatives. giving it the code name Gold.(N)o country was too small. dotted with near-farcical mistakes and doomed from the start by treachery. had also managed to secure the release of 1. that took place in the Soviet Union itself in 1979.

perhaps thousands. So I had agreed a very limited agenda and a clear structure to the meeting so that we would give a little and if they responded then we would give a little more. The history of the recent past is being rewritten on the basis of the actual documents relating to some of the greatest moments of the post-war
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the CIA ran an operation codenamed IvyBells which involved the laying of a waterproof pod on top of a Soviet communications cable in the Sea of Okhotsk. It broke in half on the way up. To illustrate further Gates' state of mind as he approached this historic." he later recalled. that was reasonable caution. The network of sensors stretched from the Atlantic. It was bound to be more than the Russians knew. but former DCI William Colby had written and spoken about it extensively. demonstrating it to be far more advanced than the CIA's own intelligence had suggested. flooding out even. he was handed a bounty of intelligence on the North Korean chemical and biological weapons program. Gates was in no mood to fall for any Soviet romancing. Secrets have been spilling out. In a post-Cold War gesture of goodwill. it was a pretty thin offering. to the Pacific and the Mediterranean and involved NATO submarines and surface ships. In the mid-1970s. they attempted to lift the vessel. and even then details were not complete. and highly secret meeting: he asked his staff to come up with a nugget of intelligence that he could offer the Russians as a gesture of goodwill. "At the slightest prompting they want to show off how much they know and how they know it. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the 1974 operation to lift a sunken Soviet nuclear Golf-2 submarine from the Pacific seabed. from Russia and the former Eastern Bloc. What they gave him was Project Jennifer. the American Navy began deploying the first of a complex worldwide undersea surveillance system known as SOSUS or Sound Surveillance System. Yet still the CIA thought that this was an historic admission. In 1952.Two other illustrations might be helpful to understand the degree to which operational intelligence can be kept secret over long periods. The trouble was his news was as stale as could be. Not only had Operation Jennifer's cover been broken by columnist Jack Anderson. one need only examine the historic meeting between CIA Director Bob Gates and his KGB counterpart Yevgeni Primakov in Moscow on October 15th 1992." On the face of it. Although the system was officially acknowledged in 1960 virtually nothing is known about it today even though it remains active and two new systems are being deployed to improve the detection capabilities. Acoustic sensors linked to miles of cables were able to detect Soviet submarines hundreds of miles away. In return. Keeping secret the intelligence gathered in old wars is a hallmark of both British and American attitudes towards secrecy. then we would leave. describing how the bodies of six dead Soviet sailors had been buried at sea with full honors and that the submarine's flag would be handed over to President Boris Yeltsin. The defeat of the Soviets should have created a new culture of openness. requiring the bid to retrieve the broken half from the seabed to be called off. thousands of civilian contractors and thousands more analysts who delivered intelligence assessments on the SOSUS products. of people intimately involved in a top secret intelligence operation for several years without any compromises. Once again. With the help of Howard Hughes who leased the specialist salvage vessel Glomar Explorer to the Agency. but the bit they were able to keep held two nuclear torpedoes and a wealth of intelligence. The "little" that Gates chose to offer involved intelligence findings about the North Korean nuclear program. a Soviet spy. "The problem with our people is that they want to say too much. he reasoned. In other words. To understand just how closed American thinking on secrecy remains. but did not involve anything really sensitive. The pod was able to intercept all the top secret communications between the Soviet submarine and naval bases on the Kamchatka peninsula and other Soviet commands. Gates had accepted (at the encouragement of President George Bush) Primakov's invitation to meet and discuss a more cooperative future relationship. The pod was serviced by special nuclear submarines that picked up the tapes and replaced them. Gates thought that by revealing details of this operation. he would somehow be demonstrating a new commitment to openness. Ivy Bells worked perfectly for six years until the operation was betrayed by Ronald Pelton. But if we gave a little and got nothing. and cautioned against any undue openness. it was an example of hundreds. The operation at Bletchley Park where during World War 2 British scientists cracked the Nazis' Enigma code was not revealed until over 25 years later.

a spokeswoman said she could not reveal that.6 billion annual intelligence budget. Robert Gates and James Woolsey. he added. This is not the first time in recent years that the CIA has promised to release important historical data then failed. As we move forward into the new century. when it came down to it. East Germany's secret police. DCI George Tenet said the CIA had "a responsibility to the American people. the institutionalizing of compartmentalization of information combined with an acceptance in successive governments of the overriding need for secrecy has ensured that large parts of the most open society in the world have remained firmly closed. Because the United States still considers itself to be at war . was simply overwhelmed. where many of the KGB's files have spilled out of dark corners. involving anti-Communist efforts in Europe. But there is a broader lesson to be drawn from America's intelligence history in the second half of the twentieth century. Asia. secrets we should know and secrets the intelligence community will work very hard to ensure we have no need to know. Then last year it was revealed that someone had burned most of those files in the early 1960's and even kept that a secret. The 150 strong CIA unit. have been opened for all to see." Woolsey's words are a fitting epitaph for the culture of secrecy which has so permeated the intelligence industry since World War 2. a significant irony for an agency that takes a large slice of the $26. What did emerge in July was a smattering of documents relating to the Bay of Pigs and the overthrow of the Guatemalan government in 1954. A nation that prides itself on its openness. He said that the CIA had. Where the files of the Stasi. But the American side of the story remains to be told. made up mainly of retired CIA personnel. citing budget constraints. the agency did not have the money or the personnel to do the job. The promise had been made by two former DCI's. Africa and the Caribbean. and to history. ensuring that secrets relating to events that happened many years ago will remain secrets for many years to come. As recently as July this year the CIA broke a long standing promise to make public secret documents relating to 11 paramilitary operations that took place during the Truman. but in the case of the latter they accounted for less than 2 per cent of the available files. as intelligence moves into cyberspace to create a new generation of offensive and defensive weapons.the deeply-ingrained culture of secrecy remains in place. the CIA reneged. the billions of dollars being spent are hidden from public view. In 1992 the agency promised to release the files on the 1954 coup in Iran. With that culture comes secrets we shall never know.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.000 pages on the Kennedy assassination and a stack of files to be used in compiling the State Department's official history of foreign relations in the 1950's and 1960's. to account for our actions and the quality of our work. on the accountability of its institutions and its strong democratic foundations has a dark love affair with secrecy. No nation in the world has protected its secrets as well as the United States as the history of the NSA and the NRO demonstrate.years. it is a secret. Eisenhower and Kennedy presidencies. but even so. then DCI James Woolsey called it. America seems certain to carry with it the culture of secrecy that has been so much a part of the present century. Little has changed in this culture since the end of the Cold World. When asked how much the sifting operation costs. BUT NOT ALTERED
. very little of substance has surfaced from American intelligence. a requirement of law. Even now. tasked with sifting these documents for sensitive data." But. When he discovered it. there have been remarkably few leaks and a bounty of very well kept secrets.or at least the country's intelligence agencies do . Despite congressional oversight of other agencies. "a terrible breach of faith with the American people and their ability to understand their own history. released 227. The culture of Need to Know.

and increasing exposure in response to our successful absorption of the most important ethical lessons of advanced life. So why should humanity be equipped with the power of space-time itself. Without such species-wide childhood. THEY ARE WATCHING US NOW. then there is a threshold of advancement beyond which a young species may earn the right to membership in a cosmic civilization. continually learning at a visceral. So must be the situation facing humanity: a controlled process of education. open contact between human civilization and visitors from other worlds could only plausibly occur after several cornerstones of civilization were in place. all of them based upon the presumption that cosmic civilizations are generally founded upon principles of peaceful and harmonious coexistence. it is probable that the concept of religion is a fundamental part of the process that underlies the process of contact within whatever real Prime Directive is out there. Star Trek. The Prime Directive demands of spacefaring beings that emerging civilizations be given the opportunity to grow on their own. the most plausible scenario is probably akin to the popularly termed "Prime Directive" in Gene Roddenberry's space science fiction legacy. Because of the high risks of civil disintegration to an immature culture as described in previous sections. clearly in our case. we see significant evidence of highly controlled interaction with our species. and to evaluate how the civilization responds? If the hypothesis of this book is correct. All factors considered. the ethical judgment simply cannot exist to deserve empowerment with the fire of the heavens – the ability to travel anywhere with whatever good or ill you bear.
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.
At what moment in the history of a young. to help give budding science a push. species level the fundamental lessons of responsible consciousness. Nature has a way of keeping her secrets just outside the reach of those who completely lack the ability to employ them wisely. would beings as sophisticated as those planning and implementing our seminal religious events be so clumsy as to allow their technology to "accidentally" fall into our hands? Perhaps. If the hypothesis of this book is correct. THE COSMOS IS THEIR OCEAN
AND THEY HAVE BEEN MINDFUL OF OUR NEED TO DEVELOP.TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES. its Prime Directive accommodates no contact between those traveling in space and life forms developing below on new worlds. blue world would teachers choose to openly reveal themselves to a brash. And is it possible that the real Prime Directive does allow for an intentional or accommodating seeding of "alien" technology at just the right moment. adolescent race? One thing seems certain: it has happened many times before across the reaches of time. In my view. But nature also provides guidance and a vision of the future for developing beings. or else no life would exist in the Cosmos.. unless we are good and ready? In the vision of Star Trek. over many thousands of years.. But. and the knowledge of how to make open contact work well is likely to be found in the history books of the gods. No one would argue that a neanderthal should be equipped with a nuclear weapon. and perhaps not. What are these cornerstones most likely to be? I believe there are at least seven key graduation requirements.

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. A seventh test must be a deep comprehension of the importance and sacred nature of truth. Whatever the ultimate graduation exam may be. in the past 10 years humanity has come upon discoveries. so that community and order is maintainable as colonization of space is initiated. we must realize. and without projecting the hatreds and paranoia from our primitive and clouded view of reality upon them. never to be fought or used with hostility. and a new appreciation of the physical power of conscious thought. overunity "vacuum" energy sources. To go the rest of the distance and learn the rest of the answers. The new technologies we're dealing with will include gravitational propulsion. A fourth test must be acknowledgement and action respecting the total power and majesty of life -understanding that biology and natural evolution are forces of wondrous growth to employ peacefully.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. A third test must be the advancement of knowledge to the point of comprehending the science and implications of a new technology as seminal as fire: the use of spacetime itself. knowledge. and reached levels of intellectual maturity that strike to the heart of each of the seven tests I propose. even if such knowledge was prompted through "seeding" from above. ensuring that the cumulative experience and wisdom of the species is perpetuated for all generations that follow. learn. As you will find in the utterly fascinating pages that follow. and vice versa. and enabling a connection into a universal system of knowledge. made inventions.A first test must be the ability of the species to think and act as a group coherently. love. A sixth test must be a scientific comprehension of the vital role of religion in human history. wisdom. A second test must be the ability to interact with more advanced beings without experiencing paralyzing fear. and the awesome creative power of intent. we know that we have now crossed one key hurdle: a growing number of us know how the major facts of the human saga can plausibly fit together. Perhaps this book can play one small part in bringing the two closer together. A fifth test must be the ability to preserve historical knowledge with fidelity and permanence. and live in the absolute conviction that truth simply must be an essential principle of highly evolved beings.

.
AT WHAT MOMENT IN HISTORY. WE GROW MORE DANGEROUS YET WISER EACH DAY.Alfred Adler While not failing to recognize the human life and cultures lost in the process. THE COSMOS IS THEIR OCEAN
AND THEY HAVE BEEN MINDFUL OF OUR NEED TO DEVELOP. through the pre-nationhood decades as an independent identity began to emerge..PART III
EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION. THEY ARE WATCHING US NOW. it may be confronted with its greatest challenge and opportunity yet: reinventing itself in the face of fundamental change. a powerful and wise system of large scale human community has emerged. As this system of community approaches the millennium. the past two centuries have seen the rise of the greatest nation ever known to have existed on Earth. better crafted for the next millennium? Together we will answer this question. and finally through the birth pains of a Revolutionary War.
A First Test: A Stable Civilization "It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them." -. BUT NOT ALTERED
. From the humblest beginnings as pilgrims left persecution behind in Europe. From a most potent intent encapsulated in a beautifully simple Constitution. TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. the United States has realized a vision of freedom and equality never before seen. Is it possible to replace the old ladders upon which we stand with new ones.

In the groundbreaking 1994 Alexander UFO Religious Crisis Survey. The test of any such higher authority is of course the police force that supports it. and a large minority believe that the UFO phenomenon is real. and Rabbis from Protestant. Also in 1951. The penalty for provoking their action is too terrible to risk. The Thing from Another World. Since then. the public is well ahead of science. Klaatu -the alien visitor here to investigate Earth -. In this realm. Gort. Science fiction has indeed had a profound impact on our psychology. You'll forgive me if I speak bluntly. and Jewish religious bodies in the United States: "Would official confirmation of the discovery of an advanced. Only 15% said yes. Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve peace. According to an Associated Press poll taken in late 1997. In matters of aggression. technologically superior extraterrestrial civilization have severe negative effects on the country's moral. a key question was posed to 1000 Fathers. Pastors. The Flying Saucer. Apart from the fact that millions of people around the world have witnessed UFOs in the past 50 years. except the freedom to act irresponsibly. But the most important science fiction film of 1951 was The Day Earth Stood Still. Klaatu gives a message to a meeting of scientists gathered from around the world: "I am leaving now. This does not mean giving up freedom. The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by one group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. In this film. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. Fortunately. the public at large has a far more receptive attitude. Roman Catholic. Science fiction has also managed to successfully impact the attitude of religiously-minded people toward this question. Eventually. We of the other planets have long accepted this principle. For our policemen. But amongst the drama. Asked "Would your congregation perceive any contact made with a technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization. The result is that we live in peace without arms and armies. BUT NOT ALTERED
. after which he is resurrected by his powerful robot. we have created a race of robots. social. they act automatically against the aggressor. No longer is the subject of UFO experiences relegated to the simplistic terms of "little green men" with Martian credentials. as a threat?" 67% of the respondents said no. This power cannot be revoked. about an advanced human airplane. And not only has it made the concept more comprehensible. the military hunts down the alien and kills him. there is another factor which has greatly contributed to a growing belief in the plausibility of the phenomenon: science fiction. We have an organization for the mutual protection of all planets and for the complete elimination of aggression. it has reduced the fear factor for a perpetually-fearful human imagination.A Second Test: Maturation of the Culture Despite the scientific opposition to the concept of UFO visitation. in This Island Earth. secure in the knowledge that we are free from
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. There must be security for all or no one is secure. 77% said no. we have given them complete power over us. That stereotype is expiring as a figment of ridiculous disinformation. Polls have consistently demonstrated that a majority of Americans believe in the existence of advanced forms of life in space. what have seen? In 1950. direct or indirect. In 1951. we learned that humanity is not quite ready for what is out in space. We've come a long way since the fright of Orson Welles' 1938 broadcast of The War of the Worlds. At the first sign of violence. 86% of Americans believe that intelligent life "out there" is friendly rather than hostile. opening with the American military finding a crashed saucer buried in the Arctic ice. the phenomenon is clearly real and present.is shot while trying to give a gift to the President. and religious foundations?" Of the respondents.

Star Trek is broadcast over 200 times per day in this country alone. this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned out cinder. but that simply does not account for the overwhelmingly vast array of consistent UFO evidence from around the world. 2001: Space Odyssey was not received well by critics. but if you threaten to extend your violence. In 1953. a galactic "federation". It Came from Outer Space again referenced a crashed spaceship. In hindsight.000-50. jealousy. After a relatively slower period in science fiction feature films. A few years later. the Prime Directive. Steven Spielberg released the first of two ET masterpieces. Forbidden Planet imagines that superior beings left behind technology to turn pure thought into action. warp propulsion. Concepts such as time travel. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a stunningly sophisticated account of how contact might be established between humans and visitors from above. from various unnamed government sources. and innumerable other ideas have sprung up as parallels between fiction and emerging conjectures of reality. Star Trek has left an enduring legacy of a positive vision of humanity in space in the minds of countless millions of young adults.aggression and war. I Married a Monster from Outer Space presents a woman who discovers that she is married to an alien.wreak havoc. I came here to give you these facts. Perhaps the most sophisticated space science fiction films of all time belong in the Star Wars trilogy by
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Today. 30.desire. it appealed to a new mindset. suggesting that there was indeed alien intervention in human evolution in our distant past. As a frequent guest at the White House. it would be interesting to know if information was ever passed in Spielberg's direction. Again. Some would argue that the cause and effect have been reversed here. episodes of Star Trek bear striking resemblance to only-recently-uncovered aspects of the UFO phenomenon. but with an advertising campaign like "The Ultimate Trip". We shall be waiting for your answer. The remarkable image that the film is remembered for is the Monolith -. this time in the American southwest. We do not pretend to have achieved perfection. a stunning film by Stanley Kubrick was released. the movie ET personalized the phenomenon to the level of human children.a device of extraterrestrial origin somehow involved in the actual early evolution of humanity. There are about 70 million Star Trek books in print. the concepts communicated in the film are strikingly parallel to many of those reported in actual witness testimony. perhaps the most influential series in science fiction history was presented: Star Trek. The decision rests with you. as they left the Earth after repressed human emotions -. It's no concern of ours how you run your own planet. Information was alleged to be published. Your choice is simple. In 1977. Free to pursue more profitable enterprises. and anger -. The most recent Star Trek feature film is still in theaters. In 1966. Whatever its genesis. in years following the release of 2001. myself included. but we do have a system and it works. In 1956. the significance of thought and psychic functioning." This film had a profound effect on the public's view of possible extraterrestrial visitors. Like many of the Star Trek feature films. from countries without exposure to sophisticated science fiction of any kind. BUT NOT ALTERED
. its storyline speaks to the ability to influence time itself. join us and live in peace or pursue your present course and face obliteration. In 1958.000 years ago.

interest is rapidly spreading among the space-faring imaginations of millions. some kind of very rare and fleeting seeding of knowledge is likely to have occurred between the group responsible for the UFO secret and a select few in Hollywood. Lucas is.the earlier three prequels -. As Michael Mannion so effectively argues in his book Project Mindshift. the trailer's images spark the imagination. Framed within drama on a galactic scale. knowingly or not.George Lucas. there are few more wondrous visions of the mystery and wonder of the Cosmos. Indeed. directly describing what many researchers are openly proclaiming: we do indeed have powers of the mind that impact external physical reality. And with the trailer now showing for the first of the next installments -.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. We may see a story told later this spring more important than we realize. In presenting concepts such as an all-pervasive "force" subject to command through meditative intent. it is overwhelming likely that as a direct result of the confrontation of American government with the reality of extraterrestrial life. between the forces of "light" and "dark". BUT NOT ALTERED
.

Board On Physics And Astronomy." -." --Richard Feynmann. Would it astonish you to learn that open science is on the verge of such a discovery? First. Washington. Laboratory Diaries "(Gravity's) independence of the factors that affect other phenomena and its dependence only upon mass and distance suggest that its roots avoid things superficial and go down deep into the unseen. 1995 ". Commission On Physical Sciences. Director National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Part 1: Engineering Gravity "Gravity. Mathematics. D. Heyl.D. 1995 "By 2020.. 1995. 1998. Addison-Wesley.." -. we should be wary about accepting too glibly many of the prejudices of the present scientific thinking. magnetism.Nobel Laureate T.A Third Test. Crow. 166-170.Paul R. and other forces." -. p." -. Washington.. so as to build it up with them in reciprocal action and equivalent effect. it may be possible to convert time-varying electromagnetic fields into time-varying gravitational fields..38
One of the most fundamental advances in the history of science would be the discovery of the means to engineer gravity.Jack E.Michael Faraday (1791-1867). Task Group On Gravity Probe B.Executive Summary. 17 "Despite its omnipresence.. Forward.C. D. p. American Journal of Physics. 1963. Surely this force must be capable of an experimental relation to electricity. May 1954 "Since the magnetic moment and the inertial moment are combined in an atom. Commission On Physical Sciences. p. Feynmann Lectures on Gravitation.Executive Summary. Mathematics. gravity remains the least well tested of all the fundamental forces. National Research Council. Space Studies Board." -.essentially all experts believe that gravitomagnetism must exist.C. Space Studies Board. Board On Physics And Astronomy. "The experimental method to alter the properties of the vacuum may be called vacuum engineering. And Applications.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Lee. then we may encounter some new phenomena. Scientific Monthly. totally unexpected. Task Group On Gravity Probe B." -. And Applications. National Research Council.Robert L. Chemical and Engineering News. March 17. 1988 "In constructing our theories of gravitation. If indeed we are able to alter the vacuum. high temperature superconductor technology could become a $240 billion industry.." -. some basic questions should be answered. to the very essence of matter and space. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

A simple way to understand this is through an experiment that uses a simple spring pendulum. To build one. such as weather forecasting. the force holding the right atmospheric density for biological life to breath. sometimes called the Wilberforce pendulum. a fundamental limit on the upper canopy of tall tropical trees is their capability to maintain sufficient water pressure to reach the top leaves for continued growth. How high water can be pumped against gravity sets the cap on the tallest heights sustainable by water nutrients. the roundness of planets and stars. and the basis for calculating all satellite orbits (for technological innovations. Thus. Why is gravity important to life? Gravity is the cause of ocean tides. then taller. from the influence of accelerating forces. the force condensing the early Earth from gaseous protoplanetary material and dust. more sturdy and squat architectures might arise under higher gravity. the disk shape of galaxies. However for strong gravity. As an example from the rain forests. simply put a block or test mass on a spring. there are some other means of detection for scientific instruments. asteroids and galactic motion. moons. or space is pushing on you. Why is gravity important to the universe? Gravity is the basis for the rotation of the planets. the birth and collapse of stars. Either the Earth is pulling on you. land mobility becomes restricted. the orbits of planets.What is gravity? Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects.). Like turning a master control knob. For example. global internet communications. This slow biomorphism might lend itself over many generations to both a different shape. How can we detect gravity? In our sensory world. if gravity were slowly enough adjusted to sustain life. "outward" and "inward". with high gravity. What influences gravity? Gravity is a property of mass and distance. near a very massive object like a star or galaxy. It was invented by the Englishman. Because of this presumption more than any other. 2) up
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. gravity gives a sense of up and down for human senses. The strong motivator for Einstein's theory of relativity was the equivalence of inertial and gravitational mass. the speculative existence of black holes. we have been led to believe that extraterrestrial visitation is impossibly impractical. You feel gravity in the form of pressure on your butt as you sit reading this document. and inertial mass. size and habit of life. from the persistence of or resistance to a change in motion. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the influence of gravity is seen readily in the fall of objects towards a bigger mass like the Earth. more spindly plants and animals might arise under reduced gravity and shorter. or perhaps more accurately. Most scientists believe that nothing other than mass and distance can influence gravity. which is proportional to their masses and inversely proportional with their distance of separation. in the 1800's. etc. cellular and telephone networks. which is hinged at the top like a grandfather clock pendulum. Wilberforce. navigation such as global positioning systems. What is mass? There are two kinds of masses: gravitational mass. Now imagine that there are three kinds of motion that this spring pendulum can undergo: 1) side-to-side motion like a stiff pendulum. whichever way you prefer to imagine the force. and therefore they have long since reached the common conclusion that we are forever bound to our gravity well.

To Einstein. including a complete explanation of Kepler's famous laws for the orbits in our solar system. To understand the differences. because there is no gravity. if viewed from space. give rise to a formulae for relating quantum forces (zero point forces) to the origin of mass and gravity itself. solved a set of equations describing the gravitational field. and proposed what kind of particle might transmit gravitational attraction -. The spring pendulum does however oscillate and twist in space if extended like a toy spring or 'slinky'. since attraction was instantaneous over great stellar distances. as first proposed by Einstein. To understand this view. The English physicist. except for the tension of the spring itself. first described what such a relation might look like for Newton's gravity. The Russian Nobel Prize winner. These collapsed stars are called black holes. The thing to remember is that the equivalence of gravitational and inertial mass (a strong motivation for Einstein) leads to a relation between the origin of mass itself and the tiny (quantum) oscillations that cannot be gotten rid of (even approaching zero temperature). is the behavior of how gravity changes around small objects. without the presence of gravity. mainly associated with what was called the 'ether' or medium for light and information to travel between stars and scientific instruments like ticking clocks. Paul Dirac. BUT NOT ALTERED
. except to describe it as a kind of 'straight line' attraction between two masses. Although to the ship captains. solutions to these gravity field equations remain scarce. or the resistance to changing from a stop or start without the effect of acceleration. The straight line motion on a sphere. The triumph of this description was prediction of the elliptical orbits of the planets. gives rise to a description of such dense and compact stellar objects that light cannot overcome the pull of gravity. is a good analogy for how space and time themselves can derive from a curved geometry. If gravity has an origin in small. this picture tries to give meaning to the otherwise vague scientific description. Einstein described that gravity travelling faster than the speed of light might lead to certain unresolvable experimental problems. The spring pendulum does not swing from side to side.called the graviton. This field is sometimes referred to as 'quantum gravity' or the study of how to reconcile gravity at a subatomic level. as well as light. where quantum events and probabilities make Newton's certainty appear as probabilities. What is the origin of gravity? Newton did not outline the origin of gravitational attraction. What is a more difficult question. Newton's gravity traveled faster than light. and 3) twisting motion which pulls up and pushes down the block at the end. begins with an explanation of what mass itself might be. gravity originated in geometry itself. a kind of 'curved line' attraction between two masses. and what may eventually unlock the origin of gravity and mass itself. These oscillations. Quite simply.and down motion like a spring. just consider two ships travelling north from the equator. called inertia: why does a passenger fall backwards when a bus or train begins to move forward? How does gravity change around large and small objects? Gravity tends to bend light around large objects. consider doing the same experiment in the space shuttle. These three modes include examples of both gravitational and inertial mass. A. the two ships will eventually meet up as if mysteriously attracted to each other like gravitational attraction. the ships may appear to be moving on a straight line to the pole. A description of gravity bending space itself. This effect demonstrates inertial mass. if they are charged particles. One innovative approach to unifying gravity with other kinds of fields. Despite enormous creative energy. Sakharov. quantum
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either on or off the planet. As Einstein himself ventured: "Of all the communities available to us. The oceans would even seem to empty into space.. the only implausible conclusion is outright dismissal of the premise: gravity is the law. The argument presented verged on ridicule. Ninety-plus percent of the mass of current chemical rockets is fuel. That answer is not in the spirit of any true explorer. In an energy economy. frequency effects or electromagnetic origins for gravity) to begin the scientific community on a bold path: to detect. therefore understanding its origins.000. It would take probably one of only three of these factors to be true (quantum scale. To travel to the 15 nearest stars would require a 100 year round trip. then mass itself may arise as a resonant or interference effect between closely spaced subatomic particles. Why do we want to engineer gravity? In considering this question fairly. Although the nearest star (Proxima Centauris) is 4 light years away. Based on their observation of the stars and navigation in ancient Greece. BUT NOT ALTERED
.4%. one person travelling would thus require the labor of a few million people to support that travel. except for the society of true searchers. the majority of which is burned in the first few minutes to low altitudes. Human perceptions of gravity are as a pull.2 c. a collision with a mere 4 ounce micrometeorite carries the force of two Hiroshima bombs to a craft. Eratosthenes and Aristarchus. there is not one I would want to devote myself to. but the absolute up and down direction for gravity continued to dominate European thought through the Middle Ages. During the first 9 seconds following ignition.1 times the speed of light was possible. causes. because the prevailing view of only an up or down (and no basic concept of 'around') could not sustain any people on the opposite side of the globe. or consequences is not a topic to entertain. overcoming the force of gravity is a necessary step if humans are ever to navigate the ocean of space.events. The Saturn V rocket used to propel 95. and has its foundation in oscillation of an electromagnetic source. Clearly. travelling at 0.000 pounds to the moon required a disposable mass (nearly entirely fuel) of 98.. engineer or predict changes in gravity in ways not previously imagined. Because this view of gravity is a quantum phenomenon. with its direction determined by a somewhat vague and illdefined property called the center of mass. the Pioneer spacecraft launched in the 1970s will not enter that star system until the year 28. Gravity is a great constraint on travel. which yields a net attraction from an electromagnetic origin. For example. proposed that the Earth must be round.000 pounds) per passenger. has a characteristic frequency. The underworld would seem to fall into deep space. just as scientific endeavors in the last two centuries have actively engineered electrical motors and powerfully driving turbines and pumps. there is the intriguing possibility that these factors may unite or unify gravity with the major forces familiar to most technologists and engineers. Even this relative kingdom for the traveler comes not without risks to the voyage. even if 0." The explorer wanting to understand gravity must want to travel. the mass equivalent of all the payload energy (the capsule plus astronauts) was burned prior to even leaving the launchpad. Even an average large jet passenger plane carries one ton of mass (2.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Engineering Gravity I believe there is a course to engineer gravity.

power generation and long-distance communication. enormous in fact. but reported almost exclusively as a body of descriptions. then other competing influences of gravity that might tend to zero become significant candidates for modifying gravity's effects. Typically. changes in gravity seem very small. a "true zero in nature" ultimately is the trump card in the deck. In a laboratory. But in the universe of billions of stars. over the distances from floor to ceiling. over the distances measured in millions of light years when a star explodes or collapses. No obvious prescriptions have developed for gravity modification. a push. the engineering of electricity created the industrial revolution. primarily because gravity seems to dwell amidst large and small numbers itself. or science fiction. For whatever the numbers for engineering or physical barriers. the masses of entire stars like the Sun can redistribute themselves with the flash of light from a supernova. A cursory view of gravity treats this singular force as immutable and constant. However large or small... The search for a true zero in nature is the first clue. they remain finite. less than a hundred years. gravity and inertia remain omnipresent. the electricity never dissipates or decays. In the hunt to unveil the source of gravity. The intuitive link was compelling enough that the great astronomer. no comparable gravitational revolution has allowed mechanical innovation. it must remain finite. This 'real zero' forces a reconsideration of how gravity and electromagnetism can be approached in the laboratory and not just in the realm of colossal stars. Yet one need only recall that an astonishingly short period. whether an apparent physical barrier like the constant speed of light or an engineering barrier like large or dense masses.all the manifold movements are carried out by means of a single. Johannes Kepler wrongly proposed that the gravitational pull of planetary motion was fundamentally magnetic: ". never actually going to zero. is one of those rare cases of a true zero in nature. changes in gravity seem very large. while dividing by a zero is fundamentally infinite. Gravity remains bendable only in the realm of large stars or enormous speeds. Modern science is full of machines that levitate using air and acoustic pressure or electromagnetic and light pulses. quite simple magnetic force. In the universe. Superconductivity is self-perpetuating motion of electrons.When confronted by the constant tug of gravity. near the speed of light." In this spirit of analogy and experiment. This large and small scale of gravity serves as an important clue to its unveiling. While arguably the basis for the global energy economy and transportation web. The special case in superconductivity. Familiar electrical and magnetic motors have not spawned a parallel engineering of gravity. prevailing strategies to overcome this pull lend themselves to some kind of counterforce. infinitesimal in fact. No matter how strict the requirements for modifying gravity. The next revolution in space travel. an experiment must appeal to very high speeds or very huge masses to see a noticeable change in gravity. Once launched under cold or cryogenic conditions. Because gravity cannot arbitrarily be turned up or down like a knob or switch. for which this century has recognized seven Nobel Laureates. all may well hinge on this generation's capability to engineer gravity. have passed in the realization of Leonardo Da Vinci's sketches of human flight and the previously thwarted plans for overcoming gravity through strategic use of air pressure. Unlike the electrical revolution in this century. one must keep a close eye for very large and very small numbers. counterforces do not reach beyond rocketry or helicopters to the basis for gravity and propulsion itself. The precise position of the stars themselves and even the narrow biological limits for life to develop in the universe seem to hinge on gravity not ever wavering. as in the case of a clockwork (where) all motions (are caused) by a simple weight.
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. These extremes of nature are the first clues for how one might get a real handle on modifying gravity. Among all the physical forces.

the author has access to groups conducting independent replications of the original Podkletnov experiments. whether between electromagnetism or nuclear forces. no comparable equivalent to AC gravity exists to balance what is the constant pull of DC gravity. still hold out the elusive goal of unifying electricity and gravity. There is also now a factual account of experimental data and consistent explanations based on what little open science currently can claim to understand about either quantum effects on gravity or the coupling between electromagnetism and gravity. 1992). but for large (>30 cm) diameter. but cannot push back except through elaborate strategies based on air or acoustic pressure and electromagnetic or light pulses. rotation introduces a frequency dependence in both the excitation field (2-10 MHz) and in the rotation frequency (linear to ~5000 revolutions per minute. The balance scale had a counterweight which could be any variety of non-magnetic material and the opposite side of the pulley rested on a spring mechanism common to standard balances. The experimental sequence introduces a resistive current.1%) above a particular two-layer superconductor of large diameter. as the history of science has played out in a series of probative experiments. The Finish Experiments Experiments with rotating superconductors in high-frequency electromagnetic fields have reported anomalous effects on weight measurements (Podkletnov. This century of physics has taken its calling from several generations of scientists who sought to engineer the workings of atoms as quantum steps and to this day. then levitates magnetically the disk under the influence of a low-frequency (60 Hz levitation field) and a high frequency RF (2-10 MHz) modulation. 2. rpm). A plausible case can be presented for understanding the boundaries of what AC gravity. or gravity modification. "Gravitometer Results to Date The hypothesis to test is not only whether a gravitational anomaly is detectable above ceramic superconductors. The multiplicity of forces in the universe seem not to match well with gravity. Status Report on Independent Replication While not yet in scientific print. A link between electromagnetic motors and any kind of proposed gravitational engine began with the British physicist.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and its relative changes upon electromagnetic variation both in the environment and the superconductor. but also to explore the nature of that anomaly. and his laboratory notebooks. Michael Faraday. We feel the pull. The experimental conditions are complex. Just as the current energy and information economy relies finally on plugging a device into a power source. A reduction in the force of gravity of up to approximately 2% was observed. This path differs from the exploration undertaken by the Finnish group which measured large changes in gravity (peak value. For a three-phase AC field (>150 Watts).The second clue is to look at other forces which might couple to gravity. superconducting state. in particular how it depends on distance. An interim report from one such source is provided below. is not an easy unification to achieve. This coupling. bilayer superconducting disks. The instruments reported included a pressure detecting barometer and an optoelectronic balance. BUT NOT ALTERED
. might look like. the disk rotates without significant friction or flux pinning. drawing either AC current from the wall socket or DC current from a battery.

In summary. rather than a conical volume with a point of diminishment along the lines of sight for any force distributed from the much larger projection of the Earth's mass. the test instrument should measure at least three simultaneous values in any experiment. a fall in gravity which showed little or no distance dependence (one part in 1000) over a relatively large height (3 m). Most amateur experiments in this field are not actively temperature controlled and thus subject to the column of heavy air above a cold superconductor and liquid nitrogen vapors. Thermal effects in the Finnish experiment however were controlled by test runs conducted in a vacuum chamber.1 nano-G). The less understandable aspect of this finding is that this same slow decay does not fit any standard view of how gravity either might be shielded or how a gravitomagnetic counterforce might be generated. By comparison any purely gravitational effect or electromagnetic artifact would have diminished by a factor of 100 to 1000 over this distance (from floor to ceiling). measures one part variation in 10 billion (0. but relative to the background force from the Earth's gravity.Three peculiarities feature in these observations in addition to the measurement of gravity change alone. by contrast. but fluctuating both with the type of electromagnetic sources applied to the superconductor and the speed of rotation of the superconductor. This colder air is heavier that its warmer surroundings and thus more dense. First. The precision of the original experiments was reported to 2 significant figures. such a reading virtually eliminates the presence of artifacts (other than a systematic error) since most thermal or electromagnetic interferences would not have this slow decay with distance. Thirdly. the field decay with space and time and its corresponding 3-dimensional boundaries. which should have angular components that erode the boundaries of any apparent field from the sides due to mass "in the line of sight" from the horizon of the earth.8 meters per second). 32 feet per second. and in addition eliminates a host of competing possible artifacts. The introduction of torsion or rotational effects in general relativity is a current challenge in astrophysics. This tapered shape is the result of summing all the mass of the Earth.000 (0. along with the mysteriously long distance for force
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. since an alternating (sinusoidal) current for either mass or electric currents is a requirement for variation in observed gravity. Second. The influence of rotation is a complex geometry problem except with perhaps unrealistic simplification. the gravity signal was not apparently steady. A peak in gravity change corresponded with maximum deceleration of the disk rotation and with particular frequency values for the excitatory field. such as thermal and electromagnetic variations. thus removing any buoyancy or thermal convective influence on the test mass. where G is the acceleration of gravity. The gravimeter reported in the present configuration. This time dependence is at least comprehensible for a gravitomagnetic source. BUT NOT ALTERED
. or 9. All gravitomagnetic forces would diminish according to the standard inverse square distance law. a fall in gravity appeared to have a cylindrical boundary centered on the disk itself. as in this case.1 milli-G. The speculative aspect of this finding is that by definition. The gravimeter is actively temperature controlled at approximately 50 C. represent one part variation per 10. The denser air would make a suspended object appear lighter above a superconductor. The conical shape or at least a parabloid should appear for any ordinary models that might be constructed for how a gravity shield might work.

decay that no thermal source could account for. The importance of controlling electromagnetic artifacts may be less obvious. Rapidly fluctuating electromagnetic stimulation would tend to create complex fields and a version of some electrostatic suspension or inductive effects on the surrounding air and test mass. The requirements for time-varying fields is well-known to produce levitation of conducting objects, such as eddy currents. Electromagnetic artifacts are removed in the gravimeter, however, by shielding the test mass using a highly magnetic plate, called mu metal, that provides not a shield of electromagetism but instead shunts the magnetic field lines away from any influence on the test mass. To date, successful gravity measurements on the superconductors have ranged in magnitude from 1-3 parts per million, a much smaller values than the original Finish experiment. However, this variation is not part of a replication for conditions precisely similar to the Finish experiment, with its high speed rotation of superconductors and the very high power levels used. The magnitude of gravity variation observed is comparable however to a large change in potential energy, such as might be induced by masses far bigger than the actual superconducting disk. No current explanation exists for why the gravity readings are apparently time-varying (such as brief pulses or spikes) and much work continues to examine the absolute precision and reproducibility for each case: both when the superconductor passes through its temperature transition to normal conductivity and when input electrical contacts are added as alternating current of different frequency. In conclusion, the preliminary results of this ongoing experiment are cautiously encouraging, principally when one considers the inherent complexity of the setup and the potential for previously unforeseen artifacts contributing to any gravitational anomaly."

Breaking Through the Barrier Three apparent coincidences brew an anomaly. For gravity changes above a superconductor, the significant points are a reported change in weight (0.2-2.1%) of test masses made of different materials, including wood, plastic and silica glass, and a spectacular peak in the gravity signal precisely at the point at which the superconductor begins to manifest quantum effects. This correspondence is invitingly characteristic of a gravitational instability arising from atomic or subatomic behavior. A significant frequency reported in gravity observations is a peak modification (2-5 MHz) at or near the reverse Josephson frequency (3.6 MHz). This relatively narrow frequency band is not dissimilar to what the Sakharov condition predicts for a resonant effect with Newton's gravitational constant (particularly when reconciled with the size of the observed universe, or Hubble constant). Finally, this experimental case has been subjected to a consistency check with the equations of quantum gravity and proposed as initial evidence for a gravitational instability. Taken as a group, these considerations particularly sum up overlapping and independent calculations for a gravity frequency. If only one method is correct among the scenarios here proposed, then a realizable method of gravity modification may exist. That is the natural and proper science-speak concerning only one of several remarkable and as-yet privately reported observations. But based upon what I have seen, I would say this: Gravity modification has been demonstrated. I have seen the experimental apparatus myself. It is in operation in several labs around the world and at one of the most reputable government organizations in the United States. It's implication is simple and utterly profound: gravity is subject to engineering, and we must dispense with 100% of our scientific predispositions against the possibility of interstellar travel and,

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by direct implication, extraterrestrial visitation. What does this really mean? Take Frank Drake's famous equation and equip the calculated number of advanced civilizations with the means for gravity propulsion. What does this yield? Precisely the kind of UFO phenomenon we observe.

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A Third Test, Part 2: Overunity Energy A continuing search for alternatives to fossil and nuclear fuels as energy sources has intensified over the past few years. This search includes a national commitment of several billion dollars to develop highenergy ("hot") fusion, still controversial in the physics community as to probable success. Complementing this are the so-called renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind energy alternatives that have been under development for several years. A recent addition to this list, which looks exceptionally promising once viable engineering embodiments can be developed, are environmentally-benign, zero-point energy (ZPE) sources. The ZPE alternative derives from the fact that quantum theory predicts, and experiments verify, that socalled "empty space" is not truly empty, but rather contains an enormous background of residual electromagnetic energy known as quantum zero-point energy (ZPE). The energy density of this untapped reservoir is conservatively estimated to be on the order of nuclear energy densities or greater. If the ZPE can be "mined" for practical use, it would constitute a virtually ubiquitous energy supply, a veritable "Holy Grail" energy source. As utopian as such a possibility may seem, proof-of-principle has been demonstrated in the scientific literature. The most-discussed approach exploits a phenomenon called the Casimir Effect, an attractive quantum force between closely-spaced metal plates, named for its discoverer, H. G. B. Casimir of Philips Laboratories in the Netherlands. The Casimir force, recently measured with high accuracy, derives from partial shielding of the interior region of the plates from the background zero-point fluctuations of the vacuum electromagnetic field. This shielding results in the plates being pushed together by the unbalanced ZPE radiation pressures. The result is a corollary conversion of vacuum energy to some other form such as heat. Proof that such a process violates neither energy nor thermodynamic constraints can be found in the literature as well. Attempts to harness the Casimir and related effects for vacuum energy conversion are ongoing in laboratories around the globe. Even the U.S. Air Force has considered this possibility as an energy source for propulsion, as can be seen in its request for proposals for the FY-1986 Defense SBIR Program. Under entry AF86-77, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (AFRPL) Topic: Non-Conventional Propulsion Concepts we find the statement: "Bold, new non-conventional propulsion concepts are solicited.... The specific areas in which AFRPL is interested include.... (6)Esoteric energy sources for propulsion including the zero point quantum dynamic energy of vacuum space." Four approaches to ZPE energy extraction have been identified to date. An early one of interest is based on the idea of a Casimir pinch effect in non-neutral plasmas, basically a plasma equivalent of the Casimir plate-collapse effect. A patent issued on this process contains the descriptive phrase "... energy is provided... and the ultimate source of this energy appears to be the zero-point radiation of the vacuum continuum". Another intriguing possibility is provided by the phenomenon of sonoluminescence, bubble collapse in an ultrasonically-driven fluid which is accompanied by intense, sub-nanosecond light radiation. Although the mechanism of light generation has yet to be determined, Nobelist Julian Schwinger has argued for a Casimir interpretation. Yet another approach for ZPE extraction is described in a recent patent which proposes use of resonant dielectric spheres, slightly detuned from each other, to provide a beat-frequency downshift of the more energetic high-frequency components of the ZPE to a more easily captured form. Finally, an approach utilizing micro-cavity techniques to perturb the ground state stability of atomic hydrogen is under consideration. It is based on the concept that the nonradiative nature of the atomic

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ground state derives from a dynamic equilibrium process in which radiation emitted due to accelerated electron ground state motion is compensated by absorption from the ZPE. Under this model there exists the potential for energy generation by the application of the techniques of socalled cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED). In standard cavity QED, excited atoms are passed through Casimir-like cavities whose structure suppresses electromagnetic cavity modes at the atom's transition frequency between excited and ground states. The result is that the so-called "spontaneous" emission time, being driven by vacuum fluctuations is lengthened considerably. In its application to energy generation, mode suppression would be used to perturb the hypothesized dynamic ground-state absorption/emission balance to lead to energy release. We will soon know which of these remarkable ideas will be most effectively engineerable.

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Ph. Part 3: Powers of the Mind "The psyche's attachment to the brain. An exclusive focus on what might be called "the outer world" has led to a grievous split between the private world of human experience and the public world as described by science.Arthur C.. or as a problem belonging to religion and not to science.Carl Jung "When a scientist states that something is possible. evaluation of claims of psychic healing by the Office of Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes for Health. Quoting from the introduction. as some phenomena previously considered to be miracles will probably become subject to scientific understanding. it is. he is almost certainly right. even imperative to do so.. philosophy. and a rising popular antagonism toward science. It is not only permissible to doubt the absolute validity of space-time perception. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Theologians will reconsider the concept of divine intervention. It is a stunning book. and religion." One of the best individual reports discussed in the book was published by the Journal for Scientific Exploration. because scientific methods are exceptionally powerful tools for overcoming personal biases and building workable models of the "truth".. he is very probably wrong.e. I believe the single most important book ever written on this subject was published in 1997 by Dean Radin. As acceptance grows." -. In particular. the implications of psi will become more apparent. Theses reconsiderations are long overdue.. and rigorous publication. But this split has also led to major technological blunders. The split between the objective and the subjective has in the past been dismissed as a nonproblem. mind expanding. titled The Conscious Universe. This is a pity. Philosophers will rekindle the perennial debates over the role of consciousness in the physical world. mind. These challenges will nudge scientists to reconsider basic assumptions about space. The origins of acceptance are already brewing through the persuasive weight of the laboratory evidence.D. I would encourage you to subscribe to this excellent. and articles about psi research appearing in the "serious" media. There is every reason to expect that the same methods that gave us a better understanding of galaxies and genes will also shed light on experiences described by mystics throughout history. The implication of this is that consciousness can influence space-time directly and at a distance spatially and temporally. "The eventual scientific acceptance of psychic phenomena is inevitable.A Third Test. such as random number generators. Converging theoretical developments from many disciplines are offering glimpses at ways of understanding how psi works. But we already knowthat these phenomena present profound challenges to many aspects of science.. i. its space-time limitation. when he states that something is impossible. in view of the available facts." -. Clarke There is now conclusive proof in well-executed scientific studies demonstrating the ability of human intention to directly impact certain types of complex physical systems. and matter. There are explorations of psi effects by major industrial labs. science has provided little understanding of profoundly important human concepts like hope and meaning. is no longer selfevident and incontrovertible as we have hitherto been led to believe. time.
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"Strong correlations between output distribution means of a variety of random binary processes and prestated intentions of some 100 individual human operators have been established over a 12-year experimental program. Using the standards applied to any other area of science. including discussion of some of the first. "In July 1995 the CIA declassified. with sufficient trials to achieve the long-run statistical results needed for replicability. BUT NOT ALTERED
. it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. and consistent serial position effects in individual and collective results. suggestive of how to conduct more productive experiments and applied psychic functioning." Or consider another abstract regarding psychic studies over 10 years conducted by the Stanford Research Institute in Palo Alto. That means that it is reliable enough to be replicated in properly conducted experiments. More than 1000 experimental series. A secondary question is whether or not it is usefu l for government purposes. employing four different categories of random devices and several distinctive protocols. Most other secondary parameters tested are found to have little effect on the scale and character of the results. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. it doesn't appear that a sender is needed. later known as SRI International. A number of other patterns have been found. Here is the abstract. show comparable magnitudes of anomalous mean shifts from chance expectation.." And. of the order of 10e-4 bits deviation per bit processed. throughout studies conducted over a 12-year period. and at Science Applications International Corporation. statistically significant psychic-to-physical effects have been reported arising from pre-stated human intention alone. over the huge databases accumulated the composite effect exceeds 7 o (p = 3.5 x 10e-13). Precognition. in
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. "Research on psychic functioning. yield null overall mean shifts. is examined to determine whether or not the phenomenon has been scientifically established. Thus began disclosure to the public of a two-decade-plus involvement of the intelligence community in the investigation of so-called parapsychological or psi phenomena. The magnitude of psychic functioning exhibited appears to be in the range between what social scientists call a small and medium effect. and display no other anomalous features. documents revealing its sponsorship in the 1970s of a program at Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park. and approved for release. results that drove early interest. These data display significant disparities between female and male operator performances. with one important exception: studies performed using fully deterministic pseudorandom sources. Data generated by operators far removed from the machines and exerting their efforts at times other than those of machine operation show similar effect sizes and structural details to those of the local. The primary work examined in this report was government sponsored research conducted at Stanford Research Institute. now declassified... Although the absolute effect sizes are quite small.. conducted over a two decade period. For instance. Such consistency cannot be readily explained by claims of flaws or fraud. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted. Effects of similar magnitude to those found in government-sponsored research at SRI and SAIC have been replicated at a number of laboratories across the world. as disclosed by the CIA in July 1995.In the report. Presented here by the program's Founder and first Director (19721985) is the early history of the program. CA. with similar distribution structures. CA. conducted by the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research team at Princeton University. on-time experiments. known as SAIC. either hard-wired or algorithmic. to determine whether such phenomena as remote viewing "might have any utility for intelligence collection".

much as our eyes scan the environment for visual change or our ears allow us to respond to sudden changes in sound. it may be that a psychic sense exists that scans the future for major change. compatible with the Feynmann view of "advanced" and "retarded" electromagnetic waves. In this view. considering 100% of it emotional or imagined fantasy. Given that physicists are currently grappling with an understanding of time. as now-accepted phenomena in quantum mechanics were also once believed to be. There is little benefit to continuing experiments designed to offer proof. The culture of science has raised a generation of skeptics who look at new and anomalous data and. and on how to make it as useful as possible. For modern scientists to institutionally reject such assertions is a sign of how deep and complete the fundamental disconnection within science between experience and fact. non-locality shows that physical objects that appear to be separate are really connected in ways that transcend the limits of space and time. The second category of theories point towards the stunning. These concepts are considered mystical only because we do not understand them fully at this time. Recent experiments suggest that if there is a psychic sense then it works much like our other five senses. How is "magic" like psi possible? Almost all the candidate theories point towards one of two possibilites. Some theories even combine the two approaches. BUT NOT ALTERED
. appears to work quite well. mysterious but verified characteristic of "quantum mechanics" known as non-locality. Instead." Most scientists ignore these studies and hundreds of other similar research initiatives.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. summarily conclude that the concepts are "spooky" and worthy of derision. This may seem like a stark violation of common sense. The experiments described above are definitive.. What would such a capability mean when cultivated through a million years of evolution beyond homo sapiens? Can it be enhanced through genetic engineering? Could the oft-repeated spiritual admonition to "believe sufficiently and you will move mountains" be ground in emerging scientific fact as well? Those who have encountered our visitors first hand uniformly report telepathic communication. by detecting change. since there is little more to be offered to anyone who does not accept the current collection of data. the mind is able to somehow tap and information field outside of the "present moment". but at the core of them we will find profound truths that will soon completely revolutionize science. Most scientists are very wrong. They deserve reams of coverage across the media. "One of the most shocking events in twentieth-century science – an event so outrageous that its repercussions are still barely understood – was quantum theory's prediction and subsequent verification of non-locality. but that is what the theory predicts and the experiments show. They foretell a fundamental revolution in our comprehension of the role of consciousness in the Cosmos. It is recommended that future experiments focus on understanding how this phenomenon works.. These are stunningly significant discoveries. such concepts are spooky.which the answer is known to no one until a future time. Indeed. From The Conscious Universe. The first is some kind of information communication backward and forward in time. between meaning and truth. This idea challenged the long-held classical assumptions that objects separated in space are strictly isolated. There is an undeniable power of the mind to directly influence the "random" substrate of the Cosmos. They are ignoring one of the most important realms of science that will emerge in the third millennium. At the leading edge of science we see the undeniable fact staring us in the face that the Cosmos itself may possess a certain form of consciousness – at the very least that the potential energy that pervades the Cosmos is directly responsive to conscious intent at arbitrary distance in space and time.

Sierra Club Greenpeace National Audobon Society Nature Conservancy World Wildlife Fund Environmental Defense Fund National Wildlife Federation Wildernes Society League of Conservation Voters Worldwatch Institute Natural Resources Defense Council Rainforest Action Network Surfrider Foundation Earth Island Institute Earthwatch Institute Union of Concerned Scientists Friends of the Earth Join one and act!
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Since the Apollo space missions and publishing of Silent Spring.. These people are also some of the happiest people in society today. wise.A Fourth Test: Saving the Environment In my opinion. For in service of the Earth.. they have unlocked a great secret: Earth serves back. an awakening sense of our unity with nature has caught hold in the hearts of people all over the world. What have they done to forward the cause of restoring the health of Gaia? These wonderful organizations speak for themselves. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the most courageous. and ethical human beings on Earth are those who volunteer their time in the service of their world and their fellow humans.

There is. Books of all sorts. Most of the memex contents are purchased on microfilm ready for insertion. so he can be profligate and enter material freely. pictures. are thus obtained and dropped into place. In minor ways he may even improve. to be drawn from the analogy concerns selection. which is a sort of mechanized private file and library. photographs. One cannot hope thus to equal the speed and flexibility with which the mind follows an associative trail. they are filed alphabetically or numerically. the rest to mechanism. Yet if the user inserted 5000 pages of material a day it would take him hundreds of years to fill the repository. the detail of mental pictures. for his records have relative permanency. Consider a future device for individual use. it snaps instantly to the next that is suggested by the association of thoughts. Our ineptitude in getting at the record is largely caused by the artificiality of systems of indexing. on which material can be projected for convenient reading. however. The matter of bulk is well taken care of by improved microfilm. Otherwise it looks like an ordinary desk. On the top of the memex is a transparent plate. It can be in only one place.. it is primarily the piece of furniture at which he works. is aweinspiring beyond all else in nature. A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his books. Yet the speed of action. and the title page of the book promptly appears before him. On the top are slanting translucent screens. but it should be possible to beat the mind decisively in regard to the permanence and clarity of the items resurrected from storage. The human mind does not work that way. With one item in its grasp. and the rules are cumbersome. There is a keyboard. Having found one item. one has to have rules as to which path will locate it. in accordance with some intricate web of trails carried by the cells of the brain. items are not fully permanent. records. may yet be mechanized. When data of any sort are placed in storage. memoranda. the intricacy of trails. and communications. goes deeper than a lag in the adoption of mechanisms by libraries. Selection by association. Only a small part of the interior of the memex is devoted to storage. BUT NOT ALTERED
. projected onto one of his viewing positions. In one end is the stored material. "memex" will do. When one is in place. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory. It needs a name. the depression of a lever causes it to be photographed onto the next blank space in a section of the memex film. The first idea. to coin one at random. and sets of buttons and levers. Man cannot hope fully to duplicate this mental process artificially. rather than indexing. If the user wishes to consult a certain book.. however. of course. It operates by association.A Fifth Test: Emergence of Species Mind See if you can guess who wrote this article. current periodicals. and while it can presumably be operated from a distance. memory is transitory. trails that are not frequently followed are prone to fade. unless duplicates are used. and. Business correspondence takes the same path. Frequently-used
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. newspapers. It consists of a desk. And there is provision for direct entry. all sorts of things. moreover. one has to emerge from the system and re-enter on a new path. provision for consultation of the record by the usual scheme of indexing. or a lack of development of devices for their use. On this are placed longhand notes. It has other characteristics. dry photography being employed. and information is found (when it is) by tracing it down from subclass to subclass. and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. but he certainly ought to be able to learn from it. he taps its code on the keyboard. "The real heart of the matter of selection. of course.

to associative indexing.codes are mnemonic. When it becomes evident that the elastic properties of available materials had a great deal to do with the bow. First he runs through an encyclopedia. but also in the code space. he finds another pertinent item. If he deflects it further to the right. and the items are permanently joined. he has supplemental levers. Specifically he is studying why the short Turkish bow was apparently superior to the English long bow in the skirmishes of the Crusades. is interested in the origin and properties of the bow and arrow. they can be reviewed in turn. The owner of the memex. still further at 100 pages at a time. his talk with a friend turns to the queer ways in which a people resist innovations. A lever runs through it at will. Thus he goes. is inserted a set of dots for photocell viewing. Tapping a few keys projects the head of the trail. Before him are the two items to be joined. On deflecting one of these levers to the right he runs through the book before him. by deflecting a lever like that used for turning the pages of a book. When the user is building a trail. The process of tying two items together is the important thing. This is the essential feature of the memex. He can add marginal notes and comments. All this is conventional. Several years later. he can leave one item in position while he calls up another. and it could even be arranged so that he can do this by a stylus scheme. taking advantage of one possible type of dry photography. he branches off on a side trail which takes him through textbooks on elasticity and tables of physical constants. rapidly or slowly. And his trails do not fade. and taps it out on his keyboard. building a trail of many items. stopping at interesting items. finds an interesting but sketchy article. He inserts a page of longhand analysis of his own. and passes it to his
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. each page in turn being projected at a speed which just allows a recognizing glance at each. in the fact that the outraged Europeans still failed to adopt the Turkish bow. even of vital interest. so that he seldom consults his code book. pertinent to the discussion. Out of view. just as though he had the physical page before him. except for the projection forward of present-day mechanisms and gadgetry. but when he does. A touch brings up the code book. and on each item these dots by their positions designate the index number of the other item. at any time. He has dozens of possibly pertinent books and articles in his memex. In each code space appears the code word. So he sets a reproducer in action. for any item can be joined into numerous trails. he steps through the book 10 pages at a time. It is an interesting trail. let us say. when one of these items is in view. The user taps a single key. going off on side excursions. inserts the name in his code book. He has an example. Moreover. Deflection to the left gives him the same control backwards. in a history. Occasionally he inserts a comment of his own. the basic idea of which is a provision whereby any item may be caused at will to select immediately and automatically another. Thereafter. Thus he builds a trail of his interest through the maze of materials available to him. and a pointer is set to indicate one of these on each item. Any given book of his library can thus be called up and consulted with far greater facility than if it were taken from a shelf. It is more than this. leaves it projected. such as is now employed in the telautograph seen in railroad waiting rooms. projected onto adjacent viewing positions. BUT NOT ALTERED
. a single tap of a key projects it for his use. Next. and ties the two together. the other can be instantly recalled merely by tapping a button below the corresponding code space. It affords an immediate step. As he has several projection positions. however. Moreover. when numerous items have been thus joined together to form a trail. A special button transfers him immediately to the first page of the index. It is exactly as though the physical items had been gathered together from widely separated sources and bound together to form a new book. photographs the whole trail out. either linking it into the main trail or joining it by a side trail to a particular item. In fact he has a trail on it. he names it. At the bottom of each there are a number of blank code spaces.

it may be well to mention one such possibility. as has been done here. certainly. has all the chemical literature before him in his laboratory. but for his disciples the entire scaffolding by which they were erected. ready to be dropped into the memex and there amplified. BUT NOT ALTERED
. stores. We know further that if we can approach that cable with the proper instruments. and of the experience of friends and authorities. In order that the picture may not be too commonplace. puzzled by a patient's reactions. The physician. and runs rapidly through analogous case histories. either in the original form in which information is conveyed to the brain. Is it not possible that some day the path may be established more directly? We know that when the eye sees. The lawyer has at his touch the associated opinions and decisions of his whole experience. or in the marvelously metamorphosed form in which they then proceed to the hand? By bone conduction we already introduce sounds: into the nerve channels of the deaf in order that they may hear. while prophecy founded on the unknown is only a doubly involved guess. The historian. and side trails to their physical and chemical behavior. for prophecy based on extension of the known has substance. those who find delight in the task of establishing useful trails through the enormous mass of the common record. not to prophesy but merely to suggest. The patent attorney has on call the millions of issued patents.friend for insertion in his own memex. It might be striking to outline the instrumentalities of the future more spectacularly. strikes the trail established in studying an earlier similar case. There is a new profession of trail blazers. rather than to stick closely to methods and elements now known and undergoing rapid development. with a vast chronological account of a people. in order that the fingers may be caused to strike the proper keys. but also ignored are means as yet unknown which may come any day to accelerate technical progress as violently as did the advent of the thermionic tube. Technical difficulties of all sorts have been ignored. This is an exact analogy with the electrical vibrations which occur in the cable of a television set: they convey the picture from the photocells which see it to the radio transmitter from which it is broadcast. by reason of sticking to present-day patterns. The impulses which flow in the arm nerves of a typist convey to her fingers the translated information which reaches her eye or ear. not only his additions to the world's record. and can follow at any time contemporary trails which lead him all over civilization at a particular epoch. the oral when we speak or listen. Is it not possible that we may learn to introduce them without the present cumbersomeness of first transforming electrical vibrations to mechanical ones. struggling with the synthesis of an organic compound. Wholly new forms of encyclopedias will appear. just as a telephone wire may be tapped for its message. The chemist. Might not these currents be intercepted. the visual when we read. we can pick up those vibrations by electrical induction and thus discover and reproduce the scene which is being transmitted. with familiar trails to every point of his client's interest. and consults the record of the race. ready made with a mesh of associative trails running through them. with trails following the analogies of compounds. The inheritance from the master becomes. which the human mechanism promptly transforms back to the electrical form? With a couple of electrodes on the skull the encephalograph now produces pen-and-ink traces which bear some relation to the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. All our steps in creating or absorbing material of the record proceed through one of the senses -the tactile when we touch keys. there to be linked into the more general trail. we do not need to touch it. all the consequent information is transmitted to the brain by means of electrical vibrations in the channel of the optic nerve. parallels it with a skip trail which stops only on the salient items. with side references to the classics for the pertinent anatomy and histology. Thus science may implement the ways in which man produces.

the Internet has risen to become a literal mind in and of itself -. passion.D. but it hardly warrants prediction without losing touch with reality and immediateness. a chapel for every faith. decision. a classroom for every child. Since 1993. The Internet is not only our library.Establishes the first mechanism enabling us to ensure that knowledge can be preserved over time with high fidelity . the Internet accomplishes three things: .. His excursions may be more enjoyable if he can reacquire the privilege of forgetting the manifold things he does not need to have immediately at hand. Bush correctly set forth a clear vision for technology inventions that would fundamentally advance the knowledge and sophistication of human beings. or to lose hope as to the outcome. agreement. as we venture into the depths of
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Yet. It will ultimately carry every telephone conversation and every broadcast program. and perhaps even a connection back to our common heritage. law.electrical phenomena going on in the brain itself. but who would now place bounds on where such a thing may lead? In the outside world. Must we always transform to mechanical movements in order to proceed from one electrical phenomenon to another? It is a suggestive thought." In the idea of the "Memex". Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development Agency and later Chairman of the alleged Majestic-12.Provides all human knowledge to everyone with access . They may yet allow him truly to encompass the great record and to grow in the wisdom of race experience. He may perish in conflict before he learns to wield that record for his true good. all forms of intelligence whether of sound or sight. The Web browser is your personal portal with a view into the first global library built by the human animals on Earth. the record is unintelligible. He described the ultimate advancement. Dr. it would seem to be a singularly unfortunate stage at which to terminate the process. Presumably man's spirit should be elevated if he can better review his shady past and analyze more completely and objectively his present problems. BUT NOT ALTERED
. They have enabled him to throw masses of people against one another with cruel weapons. services. hate. dialog. products. In the end.Democratizes and speeds the flow of information One day the Internet will become a voting booth for every citizen. news. Dr. the Internet. True. His vision for the public was realized 5 years ago. Today it is a circulatory system for knowledge. He has built a civilization so complex that he needs to mechanize his records more fully if he is to push his experiment to its logical conclusion and not merely become bogged down part way there by overtaxing his limited memory. In his 1945 article in the Atlantic Monthly titled "As We May Think". equipping every human being with an electronic library accessing the complete store of human knowledge. enabling humanity to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge. The applications of science have built man a well-supplied house. and money.the mind of humanity. Ph. Vannevar Bush. constructed on associative links exactly like the human brain. gave birth to a precise and beautifully prescient vision of the Internet. in the application of science to the needs and desires of man. Inside the human frame exactly the same sort of process occurs. except as it points out certain gross misfunctioning of the cerebral mechanism. have been reduced to the form of varying currents in an electric circuit in order that they may be transmitted. and are teaching him to live healthily therein. with some assurance that he can find them again if they prove important.

Now.space. BUT NOT ALTERED
. until now.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. consider this idea: what if we could connect our Internet to the equivalent knowledge system of our visitors? What wonders would we then learn? Such a concept has never been possible.

Popes Leo XIII and John XXIII among others. humanity may come to a clearer sense of the great resources with which it has been endowed and may commit itself with renewed courage to implement the plan of salvation of which its history is part.in a word. on the threshold of the third millennium of the Christian era. St.so that. society. indifference or to various forms of nihilism. Pope John Paul II calls for reconciliation between faith and reason to promote a rebirth of humanity as we head into the third millennium. Augustine. Fides et Ratio." "These considerations prompt a first conclusion: the truth made known to us by Revelation is neither the product nor the consummation of an argument devised by human reason. In the life span of the most recent generation. is the 'crisis of meaning'. It appears instead as something gratuitous. it should be noted. For all their difference of method and content. child. as we stand at a time of greater change than ever before. Christian churches have guided hundreds of millions of people along an evolving path of faith. often of a scientific temper. "This is why I have felt both the need and the duty to address this theme so that. which itself stirs thought and seeks acceptance as an expression of love. science. the fall of communism and conformity in doctrinal matters. is the theme of philosophy and theology alike. Indeed. Yet. Pope John Paul II has been a powerful voice for Catholics worldwide calling for social justice in the capitalist system. The most prominent of Christian faiths. then. serve only to aggravate this radical doubt. The array of theories which vie to give an answer. culture and religion. still more dramatically. This makes the search for meaning difficult and often fruitless. The ultimate purpose of personal existence. every moment is a time to rejoice in the love of Christ and not for despair and nihilism." A constant theme of Christianity. as faith tells us. BUT NOT ALTERED
. in perhaps his most powerful statement to date. "One of the most significant aspects of our current situation. men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves" (cf. have so proliferated that we face an increasing fragmentation of knowledge. by knowing and loving God. Ex 33:18. I too believe it is through the detachment of faith and reason that society and culture have lost the universal truths which give meaning to life. 63:2-3. and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth . in this maelstrom of data and facts in which we live and which seem to comprise the very fabric of life. Perspectives on life and the world. many people wonder whether it still makes sense to ask about meaning. woman. and the different ways of viewing and of interpreting the world and human life. 1 Jn 3:2). This revealed truth is set within our history as an anticipation of that ultimate and definitive vision of God which is reserved for those who believe in him and seek him with a sincere heart. has felt the teachings of numerous important theologians: St.A Sixth Test: Reunification of Science and Spirituality Throughout the centuries since the time of Christ. both disciplines point to that "path of life" (Ps 16:11) which. which can easily lead to skepticism. It is
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth. Ps 27:8-9. Thomas Aquinas." The search for truth is intrinsic in every man. Jn 14:8. In late 1998. leads in the end to the full and lasting joy of the contemplation of the Triune God. to know himself . who have shaped the faith and thought of the Church. the Roman Catholic Church. which can give meaning to today’s youth and provide the foundation for tomorrow. society seems unable to articulate a vision for the future.

They can make no claim upon this truth which comes to them as gift and which." Reason alone. however. As has always been the case for the humble and true Christian. the Church has officially recognized this and moves to support rationality alongside faith. quickly and unhindered. This is why the Church has always considered the act of entrusting oneself to God to be a moment of fundamental decision which engages the whole person. The Church is now recognizing that through the union of the two. cannot answer all of the mysteries of life. the intellect and the will display their spiritual nature. it is through faith that we realize the potential in our free will. It is more commonly intuition that allows us to pierce the veil of truth into meaning. Every people has its own native and seminal wisdom which. reason and faith cannot be separated without diminishing the capacity of men and women to know themselves. the Church cannot but set great value upon reason's drive to attain goals which render people's lives ever more worthy. "Men and women can accomplish no more important act in their lives than the act of faith." Thus. Therefore. "Philosophy's powerful influence on the formation and development of the cultures of the West should not obscure the influence it has also had upon the ways of understanding existence found in the East. it is through living love and freely returning that love that we begin to know more deeply the mysteries of life. At the same time. One example of this is the basic form of philosophical knowledge which is evident to this day in the postulates which inspire national and international legal systems in regulating the life. and reach meaning in the truth we understand. the mysteries of life are more fully appreciated and resonate more clearly in our lives. BUT NOT ALTERED
." Reason allows humans to discuss matters of faith in the context of universal truths. the Church considers philosophy an indispensable help for a deeper understanding of faith and for communicating the truth of the Gospel to those who do not yet know. This is to say that with the light of reason human beings can know which path to take. Reason without faith brings nihilism. Without reason. the world and God in
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. we have little common ground to discuss and agree upon the universal truths that shape human consciousness. it is here that freedom reaches the certainty of truth and chooses to live in that truth. tends to find voice and develop in forms which are genuinely philosophical. In that act. but the Lord directs the steps” (16:9). set within the context of interpersonal communication. but they can follow that path to its end. Here the words of the Book of Proverbs are pertinent: “The human mind plans the way. while faith without reason is mythology. can unite countless major cultures and religions. urges reason to be open to it and to embrace its profound meaning. if the hypothesis of this book is true. opening the mind to discover in the flux of events the workings of Providence. enabling the subject to act in a way which realizes personal freedom to the full.through this common pursuit that we arrive at meaning in our lives." One without the other can result in an equally disturbing emptiness. She sees in philosophy the way to come to know fundamental truths about human life. only if with a rightly tuned spirit they search for it within the horizon of faith. "On her part. With the Pope's statement. "Faith sharpens the inner eye. which. Reason gives order to thought and to man's understanding of existence. "This means that they acknowledge fully and integrally the truth of what is revealed because it is God himself who is the guarantor of that truth. as a true cultural treasure.

and guided always by the deeper understanding given them by the word of God. We're all in need of giving and receiving apologies derived from our endemic short-sightedness. if any one of the great books of scripture truthfully retells of human interaction with great beings from above. Those who have offended must apologize to those who were injured. that is what faith now compels us to do. " Ancient religious scriptures represent knowledge passed down to us from our ancestors.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.may possibly find a solution if there is a clear and honest collaboration between Christians and the followers of other religions and all those who. In the case of the New Testament. Christian philosophers must pursue intellectual discourse.an appropriate way. and enjoy each other's company? Within this hypothesis. It is through love and respect. faith and reason that we can begin the renewal of humanity in the third millennium. I do not hold hope for those who cannot see the simple and profound logic in making these kinds of statements of apology and repentance to those who our societies have harmed. If the hypothesis of this work is true -. for instance . settle down in peace. however imperfectly recorded and passed down. BUT NOT ALTERED
. Christian philosophers can develop a reflection which will be both comprehensible and appealing to those who do not yet grasp the full truth which divine Revelation declares.then the Pope is not only right. What will these miracles do to civilization? To governments.ecology. Humanity then faces its most important test: will the faiths of human religions and the disciplines of human sciences pause to teach among each other the purest of their truths. reason contributes to the theological method to substantiate proper moral conduct and discourse. while not sharing a religious belief. "Reflecting in the light of reason and in keeping with its rules. and consider the real possibility that we may face teachers involved in the history of our faiths someday soon. These most sacred books represent the imperfect retelling of the most sacred memories of our fathers and mothers. In this time of great moment. have at heart the renewal of humanity. while faith brings us closer to the mysteries and love of God. since the most pressing issues facing humanity . It is through precisely this kind of union that we ultimately arrive closer not only to God by to our fellow man. but ground it in the faith of God's love. every one of us will seek predictions for the future." Thus. Therefore. The very fact that these books have moved people to form and destroy entire empires across the millennia is astoundingly obvious confirmation that the history they recount records generally authentic events. apologize for their crimes against each other. But from a scientific point of view. then at least a few other such books are almost surely grounded in history as well.that both religion and science are grounded in historical fact -. The best way to apologize is to ACT. As we consider the profundity of recent discoveries of science. peace and the co-existence of different races and cultures. Such a ground for understanding and dialogue is all the more vital nowadays. the events related therein are less than 100 human generations old. more and more of us are turning again to these books for guidance. but is providing to the Christian faithful one of the most profound instructions of the legacy of the ministry of Jesus Christ. and our economies? To our churches and our families? To us as individual people? I am as anxious to know as you.

There is no question that rising consumption combined with rising human numbers poses a profound problem for the world. If China develops its vast coal reserves to meet its energy needs. Such fuel is quickly running dry. I saw that we in the United States have become the architects of the single greatest challenge to the survival of humanity: the consumer society. the spread of consumer behavior cannot be so neatly reduced to an indicator of increased consumption and waste. So it is with consumer societies . but the question is. as billions of peasants around the world adopt the consumer values of the West. Environmentalists fear that. Once again. the world's already overburdened ecosystems will collapse under the weight of expanding human numbers leveraged by ever-increasing material consumption. I saw us asleep as our primitive approach to medicine creates lethally resistant strains of microbes.A Seventh Test: A Successor to the Consumer Society "Nothing could be sown or whole which is not first been rent. that nation will soon be putting as much C02 into the atmosphere as the entire industrial world. I saw us painfully shortsighted in silently witnessing the flattening of vital preserves of ecology. But most disturbingly. one of the two great phenomena to emerge in this century. I saw us unconscious of the frightful life to which we have condemned our brothers and sisters in inner cities. Cultures can and do change. For all the scrutiny the consumer society has received over the decades." -. and a host of other unattractive activities and values. Can the consumer society evolve into its successor without upheaval? I believe that it cannot. This is what happened at the 1992 Earth Summit. but it has done so by extracting fuel from the foundations upon which it rests within and around the world. were what had put the world in its current environmental pickle. which became a futile exercise in finger pointing as emerging nations argued that rich-nation consumption. not the exploding populations and rising aspirations of developing countries. the consumer society is a system that integrates both religion and economics into a culture in which material wealth is valued far more than spiritual wealth. the extraordinary research of Eugene Linden in The Future in Plain Sight communicates the impending catastrophe best. in my position as the CEO of one of the largest. I began to realize the extremely dangerous trends emerging in the world around me -trends which indeed we all are unknowingly helping to perpetuate. the spread of consumer societies can
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The arguments are not trivial: the average American has roughly eighty times the impact on the global economy than the average person from India. and translates those spiritual longings into material appetites. but upon examination. One of the perverse laws of the universe is that we least understand those phenomena that have the greatest bearing on our lives and future. fastest growing Silicon Valley Internet companies on Earth.William Butler Yeates One year ago. I saw a Western economy blissfully ignorant of massive swings in the fortunes of nations. the satisfaction of which through purchases further expands the consumer society's reach. particularly the consumer society's surface manifestations of waste. The consumer society has fueled the rise of a great and powerful nation. nullifying whatever steps the rich nations take to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. BUT NOT ALTERED
. greed. it is all too easy to focus on the materialistic aspects of consumer behavior.along with population growth. For one thing.. "The genius of the consumer society is that it captures religious needs largely disenfranchised by modern Western life.. as the world has seen in Eastern Europe in the years since the fall of the Soviet Union. In effect. conspicuous display.

by closing antiquated East German factories and converting other coal-fired plants to natural gas.had the necessary markets. The consumer society is also something more than a society made up of people who want to buy consumer goods. where Stone Age indigenous peoples became so enamored of the bounty brought along by invading armies that many would build airstrips with the belief that such signs of devotion would prompt the gods to deliver more cargo. Nowhere was this proposition more powerfully demonstrated than in New Guinea during World War II. the consumer society ultimately will destroy earth's lifesupport systems and itself in the process. Because consumer spending amounts to so much of the U. As the power of advertising makes clear. but almost none of the benefits. With the triumph of capitalism and democracy over communism. they also organize themselves to produce them. Australia. to use the word that has become the mantra of the eco-conscious community? This future is unlikely. easier. BUT NOT ALTERED
. nearly everybody on earth wants to buy goods that make life healthier. With no appreciation of natural limits. The protesters who stoned Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in several cities did so in part because they felt that the Western enterprise would induce the poor to abandon their healthy and inexpensive vegetarian diet for fast food that would put a strain on peasant pocketbooks and health. Values. are a crucial component of the consumer society. and would place additional burdens on Indian food production. produced as much as thirty times the polluting emissions of the equivalent-sized cars sold in West Germany. however. What would happen if technological progress brought us abundant sources of clean. The Trabant.have the effect of reducing waste and making a society more efficient. Are these transformations necessarily bad? Neo-Luddites. followed by Japan and most of Western Europe . the entire world is busily trying to join the club. the Cargo Cultists failed to grasp one important aspect of consumer societies: true consumers not only buy goods.S.. the people's car of now defunct East Germany. The consumer society cannot be dismissed as wasteful. cheap energy? Could the consumer society become sustainable. buyers can have an enormous effect on what gets produced. It is in the nature of businesses to optimize efficiency. It is worth considering what would happen if people around the world suddenly awakened to threats to the biosphere and demanded that industries protect ecosystems and adopt clean technologies and sources of energies. In fact. and the consumer society
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. When Cargo Cults flourished. Noble as their efforts were. One attribute of a consumer society. At the same time. so-called deep ecologists. gas-hog sport-utility vehicles as the American self-image has interacted with notions of scarcity. is that it treats nature as raw material to be manipulated by technology for the short-term benefit of humanity.the U. only a handful of industrial nations . India is trying to free its markets and eliminate red tape so that it can hop on the global merry-go-round of buying and producing consumer goods. automobile buyers have shifted from purchasing ostentatious gas hogs to simple economy cars and then back to ostentatious. however. Since the early 1970s. most of these purchases are profoundly influenced by the buyers' values and aspirations. Germany has been able to lower the nation's overall C02 emissions by 10 percent since 1990. video vans that roll through rural villages urging the poor to buy Colgate toothpaste instead of using traditional cleaners such as charcoal and the bark of the neem tree have for the most part been greeted with enthusiasm. political structures. and values to qualify as consumer societies. and considerations of comfort and safety in unpredictable ways. Communism in Russia and the Eastern bloc managed to produce all the ills of the consumer society. which believes itself to be separate from the rest of the natural order. which even today must strain to feed nine hundred million mouths. this process has been halting. confidence in the future. Given the opportunity. GDP. and a burgeoning crop of radical Christian thinkers led by Jesuit priest and writer Thomas Berry would emphatically argue yes.S. and more convenient. goes this argument. In such a religious and tradition-bound country. Canada.

the Reformation solved the problem by equating worldly success with godliness. A look deep into the workings of the consumer society reveals a startling paradox. Each consumer purchase . for instance. the satisfaction of which further extends the hegemony of reason. attempting to impose rational management on aspects of life formerly determined by tradition. it has turned to reason and science. With the gods and God out of our hair. the irrational.the connective tissue between the productive side of the consumer society and the inchoate realm of needs and wants .is supremely adaptable to buyer tastes. through their role in producing goods.in the aggregate. the consumer society actually draws upon both religion and irrational forces. If the Reformation made it acceptable to strive for worldly success.tap into deep and powerful needs. is the increase in the power of reason as a force in life. $6. completing the long slow trend toward sanctifying commerce that began with the dawn of monotheism. allowing themselves a much freer hand to do business. The true heroes of the consumer society are not those who save but those who spend. As humanity has turned away from religion for guidance. Rather than actually test himself in combat or in the wild. The ancient Greeks exiled the gods to Olympus. One of the broad trends of Western history has been the gradual diminution of religion as an influence on behavior. This paradox is what makes the consumer society Such a formidable presence in the late twentieth century. because advertising and marketing . if that is the appropriate term. Even the intangible satisfactions of religion itself are up for sale. What vast purpose has been served by the inexorable diminution of religion as a force in daily life? Clearly one result has been to allow humans greater latitude to intervene in nature and otherwise take control of the way we conduct our affairs. At its core.8 trillion yearly in the United States . In the so-called primitive religions. it has also channeled that power in surprising directions. which put Christian diamond merchants in medieval times at a competitive disadvantage to Jews in the Antwerp marketplace). the advent of the consumer society made holy the acquisition of worldly goods. A vast panoply of products are sold through the implicit promise that the purchase will connect the buyer to some desired community or attribute. taboo. Everybody knows that the promises of advertising are false and its logic is specious. If reason has sapped the passion from modern religion. One signal artifact of consumer societies is that more and more people define themselves either through purchases. ensuring that people follow the lessons of survival worked out over millennia by trial and error. by extension. and ostensibly built upon reason and technology. When the religious codes of the Roman Church still proved an impediment to business (prohibiting interest. pushing God off the planet altogether and up into the heavens. and religion in a consumer society. and translating them into material appetites. the corporate bureaucrat can try to satisfy the inner warrior through the purchase of a Humvee or a luxury hunting package tour in Alaska.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. Faith becomes an image of faith.helps expand the hegemony of the consumer society and. but it still works. but the consumer society is unsustainable. even if many of its converts find its fruits empty and unrewarding. The consumer society does this by capturing religious needs pertaining to such profound needs as the urge to understand one's place in the universe. the hegemony of the rational management of human behavior and resources. This is what the consumer society is about. Antireligious in its nature. gods and the spirits of the ancestors encoded in ritual and taboo influence every aspect of life. or through their role in persuading other people to make purchases. Add the factors of progress and willingness to break with tradition and the elements were in place for the emergence of the consumer society. all of creation was at man's disposal. the consumer society functions more as a religion than as an economic system. or some other expression of cultural authority. its accomplishment. the most supremely adaptable culture the world has yet encountered. BUT NOT ALTERED
. involving the relationship between reason. in the form of a crucifix worn as an accessory. Each of these activities has become invested with aspects of devotional duty. Monotheism and then Christianity went the Greeks one better.

and other traditional nonmaterial sources of satisfaction. although some of the recent precedents. would hardly gladden the heart of a capitalist. It is unstable because it produces turmoil and indeed requires it to function. conservative thinker William Bennett believes that the best way to restore some balance is to bring nonconsumer values back into the system. Difficult as is the fit between Islamic fundamentalism and a market economy. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the managers and marketing geniuses who tend the consumer society have optimized corporate abilities to identify.protest movements. Rather than suppress these inevitable eruptions. If every public expression of fear. redemption can be purchased through philanthropy as well. such as the awkward marriage of religion and markets in Iran.And. books. and on the societal level through recurring outlaw movements . Even the President's Council on Sustainable Development cannot do that. a product of the basic engine that makes the whole system go in the first place. Its hallmark is its extreme adaptability. etc. Such a system is both stable and unstable. These periodic explosions of discontent are intrinsic to the consumer society. Unfortunately. Over the decades." Try to imagine the impact on today's economy if consumers no longer defined themselves through material possessions. The consumer society is thus built on a substrate far more complex than a simple desire for convenience and material wealth. But there is more. it is impossible to satisfy religious needs through material purchases. while another division promotes recording artists who celebrate murder and call for killing cops. and articles on the alienation of modern life and the emptiness of materialism have told us. Outlaw energy that would bring down the system becomes domesticated into purchasing decisions that help expand the system. Try to imagine the consumer economy without growth. The true genius of the consumer society is in its relationship to discontent. a system that transforms all attempts to change it into consumer interest loses the ability to recognize danger and adapt. In their wisdom. whereas Bennett worries about the decline of the moral sense at home in America. The result is the Orwellian situation in which one division of a corporation can respond to consumer concern about inner-city violence in its publications. and they are right. and instead returned to religion. New Age mysticism. In this transaction. The attempt to do so only leads to discontent that manifests itself on the individual level through various forms of anomie. it is much more difficult to imagine the merging of a consumer society and the values necessary to make peace with the biosphere. nature. it harnesses them as new forms of consumer interest.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. It is about growth and the exploitation of new markets. As volumes of monographs. anger. Soros is more concerned with emerging economies around the globe. of course. it continually changes form without altering its basic substance. and then find himself celebrated for his goodness far more than humble souls who limited their material ambitions and tried to honor their God in their actions on a day-to-day basis. the counterculture of the late 1960s. the system cannot change. like the Greek demigod Proteus. target. a tycoon can in one gesture erase the sins of a lifetime of marauding and self-interest by making gifts in his declining years. Like George Soros. or outrage is assimilated as a market opportunity. This is the paradox alluded to earlier: the consumer society taps as a source of energy the discontent it helps create. Both firmly believe that it is possible to have commerce and values. but it is stable because. and exploit eruptions of consumer interest wherever it surfaces. This is what makes the system so supremely resilient and adaptable. What does it mean for the world as the consumer society conquers new cultural frontiers and brings ever more people and ever-larger pieces of the world under its control? The consumer society is a pyramid sales scheme on a global scale. they define sustainable development as "Sustained economic growth.

leaves the impression that humanity sat out the cataclysms of fire and ice that periodically devastated the planet suffering no more than inconveniences. to an economic system that neither beggars the earth nor marginalizes the great bulk of humanity. There is no way the market can know what humans might need in the future. Do these stirrings represent a true threat to the consumer society. humans." Humanity finds itself at a remarkable conjunction. and then yield the stage to a more adaptable descendant.2 billion people succumb to various calamities and plagues. there have likely been repeated population crashes within the histories of Homo erectus and sapiens as climates careened from wet and moist to dry and vice versa. Presentday humans have been the beneficiary of a rare syzygy: fifty years of political stability on top of 150 years of good weather that falls into an eightthousand-year period of relative climate stability. from the rise of Islamic fundamentalism to other expressions of radical religious discontent. The consumer society can embrace an ethos that seeks efficiency. That humanity has survived. Rather than sell the yews felled during timber operations. the history of the human ancestral line has been for hominids to appear. but any value change that fostered the simple life and a search for nonmaterial satisfactions would ultimately bring it down. but our children may take a different view if they live through a period during which 2. Even during the more recent past. successful evolutionary journey when viewed from the distant future. the market regarded the Pacific yew tree as nothing more than a nuisance. the reverse is not so easy to accomplish. in fact. since there is no way of knowing what humanity will need in the future to survive. Around the world today. flourish for a couple of million years. Then researchers discovered that the bark contained a compound called taxol that helps treat various types of cancer. it is difficult to imagine that the consumer society can ever become sustainable. or what ecosystems might need right now. For decades. but only that we should not take comfort from the fact that. companies would burn them. or are they just another manifestation of the discontents that the consumer society produces and then domesticates? Humanity will make the transitions to stable population growth. BUT NOT ALTERED
. It is also blind. more than any other species save the insects. "are adapted to that aspect of nature that is most volatile. A temporary 40-percent reduction in human numbers.Since the system depends on spending and perpetual growth. the market's recognition of the value of Pacific yews has not yet led to a resurgence of the tree. since humanity is adapted to instability. humanity has become a stimulant to the endocrine system of the planet. Paleontologist Richard Potts of the American Museum of Natural History argues that. Though nature is readily converted into capital. as Potts put it. Unfortunately. might seem like a small blip on a long. It could be argued that civilized man has never really
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. as a species we are well prepared to deal with instability in the future. but these transitions will not come about smoothly. In effect. One thing we can know about the future is that it will be less stable for more people than it is today. which might have been the norm during periods of extreme instability in prehistoric times. and to a value system that recognizes the limits of materialism. even when the value of the natural resource finally becomes recognized. and that human-induced global warming may bring about rapid shifts that humans have lived through many times during our evolutionary history. He also notes that we have become creators of the circumstances that created us: that our pollutants affect the climate the way volcanoes did in earlier times. perpetual growth being impossible on a finite planet. however. there are stirrings of a reaction to the consumer society and a search for something beyond material satisfactions. Now the scarce remaining trees are in danger from timber pirates lured by the high prices the tree's bark commands. I am not suggesting that this is going to happen. The market system that underlies the consumer society is amoral. Economic activities convert natural systems into capital in almost complete ignorance of the real costs and benefits.

and that the industrial and information ages have flowered in a period of almost uncanny tranquillity. difficult-to-reverse phenomena. can transform the planet. we are likely stuck with these consequences. Asian folk beliefs in the aphrodisiac properties of tiger parts and rhino horn have driven both great animals to the verge of extinction in the wild. the
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. More and more people seem to care about not only what they eat. the character of our ideas is now the destiny of the planet. We have bet the world that our fortress will protect us when climate and the environment again become temperamental. given the momentum of the global economy. We have reached a point in history where we can no longer afford the luxury of bad ideas. We have invented technologies and social systems to insulate us from the vicissitudes of nature. but where it was raised and how it was caught. which means that once C02 finds its way into the atmosphere it tends to stay there for a very long time. public outcry over tuna fishing methods that inadvertently drowned thousands of dolphins forced the world's largest tuna canning companies to boycott fish caught by those methods. To paraphrase Sigmund Freud. turbocharged by the integrated global market and the heft of six billion people. and humanity will have to deal with whatever upheavals accompany this global ecological imbalance. What can be done? It is very late in the game. so can good ideas. Even if the world enters a period of economic instability. Similarly. To the degree that such an awakening translates into altered purchasing decisions and political action. if only because. there is no cause for despair. Humanity has taken advantage of our long respite from climate instability. The extraordinary reversal in attitudes toward family size shows how attitudes can change rapidly in vastly different cultures at the same time. Nothing will happen. but humanity has the power to moderate the impact of the coming upheavals. The global climate is such a complex system that some unanticipated reaction of its many components may mute the predicted impact of ever increasing greenhouse gases. there is very little time left to halt the increase in C02. Even before Congress acted. The lifetime of these molecules in the atmosphere is roughly one hundred years.known true instability. unless people around the world recognize the dangers lurking just beyond the turn of the millennium. We have seen in this century how bad ideas. BUT NOT ALTERED
. so that the buildup of greenhouse gases is occurring at a slightly slower rate than was predicted based upon known levels of global emissions. Even now. If bad ideas can transform the globe. We may not be able to head off some measure of instability. Moreover. the destruction of the world's ancient forests and the fragmentation of its ecosystems cannot be reversed easily. Consumers seem to be creating an ad hoc and ecological analog to kosher dietary restrictions. As indicators of environmental stress and climate chaos become more compelling. Misunderstandings about natural systems embedded in classical economics have encouraged nations to destroy most of the world's original forests and wetlands and view the results as a positive contribution to gross domestic product. Even if Congress acts to end the boycott. it is possible that there will be a sudden shift in values. Now a number of prestigious restaurants are employing a similar boycott to give some relief to beleaguered stocks of swordfish in the North Atlantic. the pain of straitened material circumstances might be muted if this rocky time strengthened family ties and renewed interest in things spiritual. if a doubling of carbon dioxide carries with it climate chaos. some as yet unidentified mechanism seems to be taking a small amount Of C02 out of the atmosphere. and as people wake up to the threat of an unstable world. however. there is much that people and nations can do. Something so seemingly innocent as a health-conscious interest in sushi has virtually stripped the North Atlantic of bluefin tuna. Despite this. it is likely that consumer pressure will continue to enforce the ban. We never imagined that our very success would hasten the return of bad times. I chose the clues described in the first part of this book precisely because they represent long-wavelength.

All these things have I kept from my youth up. Still. I say unto you. and begin a process of building a truly coherent and sustainable global civilization. Something as simple as renewed respect for the workings of natural systems. and come and follow me. If thou wilt be perfect. for he had great possessions. "20 The young man saith unto him. that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. Such a statement will be the equivalent of blasphemy to many. Over the millennia. In order for civilization to mature to the next level.. As Carl Sagan maintained. a surmounter of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. as because they felt that violations of taboos would produce empty harvests and barren wives. and give to the poor. for there is plenty to go around. awareness that the weight of six billion people has made humanity the most consequential creature on the planet." The God of Society I am attacking the God held in constant view by the investor: unbounded consumerism is no longer a sustainable institution. and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. A scripture comes to mind. what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him. and today it is surfacing again in more modern form as more and more people around the world recognize that heedless tampering with earth's life-support systems is a very dangerous game. sell that thou hast. This fact is the single greatest clue that consumerism. This fear of the consequences did more to protect natural systems than any biodiversity treaty. 22 But when the young man heard that saying. Why else would so many be fearful as I simply write and publish a book? But let us not preoccupy ourselves with blame. Throughout humanity's history. we would recognize our common humanity. Around the world. the declared existence of extraterrestrial beings will without question ultimately cause a worldwide movement for unity. go. having learned a valuable lesson.face of various societies might change very rapidly. it is very late in the game. ecological lessons have been culturally encoded as taboos. we simply MUST reorient our self-perception of our place in the Cosmos.. Let us move on. Only the very brave or foolhardy would assert flatly that our resourceful species has finally exhausted its bag of tricks. Confronted with the reality of a more advanced race of beings. a defier of limits. Verily. humanity has proved to be an artful dodger of fate. 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. and a master escape artist from traps laid by nature. would work wonders in tempering humanity's selfdestructive tendencies. and begin a fitfull process to correct the errant ways of our species. and its infrastructure on Wall Street have indeed become dangerously overpowering idols of Western society. BUT NOT ALTERED
. This represents a healthy reversal of the trend to view nature as an infinitely stocked refrigerator created solely for man's pleasure and needs. he went away sorrowful. aboriginal peoples protected certain forests and creatures not so much because they had developed a sophisticated science of ecology. its commandments of unrestrained growth. and it can no longer serve the interests of humanity.

for my name's sake. Behold. what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them. judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones. or children. in the resurrection. they were exceedingly amazed. 30 But many of the first shall be last. or mother. we have forsaken all. 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him. Verily I say unto you. with God whatsoever things I speak are possible. 25 When his disciples heard this. that ye who have followed me. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. shall receive a hundred-fold. or brethren. 19:20-30
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COPIES MAY BE MADE.Matt. when the Son of man shall come sitting on the throne of his glory. With men this is impossible. and shall inherit everlasting life. and the last first. or wife. and followed thee. or sisters. Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld their thoughts. 29 And every one that has forsaken houses. but if they will forsake all things for my sake. saying.24 And again I say unto you. BUT NOT ALTERED
. or father. shall. and said unto them." -. or lands. than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

It will be the ultimate portal and commerce web site.. Is it a utopian fantasy? Totally.. At www. A corporation in this model would continue to exist to maximize profits – but for the benefit of the nonprofit institutions which they serve.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. credit account information. Radical and insane proposals are necessary to save a short-sighted and dangerously hubris nation from self-destruction. What Earth-conscious citizen would not choose to purchase from such an institution? What young individual would not choose to work for such an institution? My business partner and I built USWeb Corporation.AT WHAT MOMENT IN HISTORY
WOULD THESE VISITORS WANT US TO JOIN THEM. I propose that consumers assert control of the economy and rebuild our economic system to serve nonprofit organizations.. you will be able to purchase virtually any good or service online. BUT NOT ALTERED
. while preserving the proven entrepreneurial creativity that has built a remarkable modern civilization.org next year. and then you will designate which subset of the top one-hundred leading non-profits to which you wish to contribute your share of EarthCity's profits. Is this a radical proposal? Absolutely. Is it insane? Yes.
Our life is frittered away by detail." -. and I ask for your support once EarthCity is launched next year. As a motivator to carefully consider this option. but with the fundamental purpose of restoring power to individual citizens of Earth.profit driven to genuine non-profit causes. who wish to reclaim their world from a dangerously materialistic economy and liberate themselves from the shackles placed around their necks by investor motives. simplify. and the betterment of life for all the principal urge of everyone. In this work.EarthCity. you will register your name. EarthCity will be the non-profit of non-profits: the ultimate collaborative e-commerce Internet site whose profit motive is dedicated enirely to the interests chosen by the individual citizens who become its members. I wish to propose a way to completely restructure over time our economic institutions to operate in a manner compatible with a living Earth. but all within the long-term interests of maximizing a 'natural profit motive' -." -. Simplify. so I know what I am talking about creating here. I welcome people to contribute their ideas to this most remarkable undertaking as it begins in earnest in coming months. the economic motive purified. When you first visit the site. the largest Internet services company on the planet.Charles Franklin Kettering One of the purposes of this Internet book is to share with each of you fundamentally new ideas – ideas that one day could transform the world.Thoreau "My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there. instead of a small concentration of wealthy individuals.. Individual compensation structures and organizational models would be considerably flatter. I am forming a catalyst organization called EarthCity. Corporations would continue to make investments in their business strategies.

Any good scientist will agree that such a profit cycle will eventually dominate. In a completely literal sense. analogous to the biosphere's carbon and water cycles. because it is on its face compatible with the kind of natural equilibrium which nature ultimately demands of everything she supports.Fundamentally. A comprehensive business plan for this initiative will appear in this section of The Truth in early 1999. BUT NOT ALTERED
. this initiative will use the frictionless Internet economy to put to the test a very simple. this economic model would create an "ecological cycle" for corporate profits. I presently expect the site to launch no later than 2000. fundamental question: is the individual or collective profit motive the stronger one in a frictionless economy? We should remember that sustainable natural equilibrium processes are always circular: we must return profit derived from the Earth back into the Earth.
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And as many as believe on his name shall receive of his fullness. and sent unto us by the will of the Father.
Is it possible to imagine what human life in the heavens could ultimately be like? Is it possible to know what kinds of knowledge and powers we may one day come to possess as we evolve into the distant future? One possibility is to interpret the basic history recounted in the New Testament at face value. and the Son was with God.
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WOULD THESE VISITORS WANT US TO JOIN THEM? WHAT WILL WE BECOME WHEN WE DO. 8 He was not that light. and the word was with the Son.. 14 And the same word was made flesh. 5 And the light shineth in the world. and the life was the light of men. 16 For in the beginning was the Word. 12 But as many as received him. to them gave he power to become the sons of God. And the gospel was the word. 15 John bear witness of him. who is made flesh. to bear record of the gospel through the Son. and dwelt among us. for he was before me. not of blood. saying. And of his fullness have all we received. whose name was John. and the gospel was the life. even immortality and eternal life. The Testimony of Saint John CHAPTER 1 1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. is preferred before me. This was he of whom I spake. and the world perceiveth it not. and the world was made by him. and his own received him not. 3 All things were made by him. BUT NOT ALTERED
. nor of the will of the flesh. and cried. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. even the Son.. unto all. 6 There was a man sent from God. 9 Which was the true light. full of grace and truth. He who was in the world. 10 Even the Son of God. 13 He was born. and we beheld his glory. through his grace. and without him was not anything made which was made. but of God. but came to bear witness of that light. and the world knew him not. He who cometh after me. the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father. to bear witness of the light. and the Son was of God. only to them who believe on his name. that through him men might believe. 4 In him was the gospel.. nor of the will of man. which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.. 11 He came unto his own. 7 The same came into the world for a witness.

..25) ".and reached out and touched him." (Mark 3." (Mark 5.. I tell you to get up. 18 For the law was after a carnal commandment.41) "Stretch out your hand.. the Only Begotten Son. for except it is through him no man can be saved.." (Mark 6.34) "He has been raised" (Matthew 28... but the gospel was after the power of an endless life.41) ". and at the very moment he was healed" (Matthew 17.15) "Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop" (Matthew 8." (Mark 1...
Powers Attributed to Christ "He touched her hand" (Matthew 8.25) "He took her by the hand and helped her up." (Mark 1. through Jesus Christ.31) ". except he hath borne record of the Son.18) "Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes..5) ".. who is in the bosom of the Father.and he healed them.. my daughter! Your faith has made you well!" (Matthew 9.13) "He broke the loaves" (Matthew 14.gave a command to the demon and it went out of the boy. pick up your bed and go home!" (Matthew 9.41) "He broke the loaves.26) "Get up..49)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. but life and truth came through Jesus Christ." (Matthew 9." (Mark 1.they saw him walking on water." (Matthew 15.22) "Then Jesus touched their eyes.6) "Courage." (Mark 6..34) "Little girl.17 For the law was given through Moses.29) "Stretch out your hand" (Matthew 12.30) ".19) ".your faith has made you well. to the administration of death." (Matthew 20..walking on the water" (Matthew 14..6) "Be quiet and come out of the man. 19 And no man hath seen God at any time." (Mark 5.. BUT NOT ALTERED
.

.healed the boy. child!" (Luke 8.put his fingers in the man's ears.. took the man and healed him..8) "Jesus took the bread." (Mark 10..50) "Get up...24) ".35) "...they saw Jesus walking on the water...ordered the fever to leave her." (Luke 8." (Luke 8.40) "gave an order to the wind and to the stormy weather..they went out of the man.39) "he placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all..44) "Get up. " (Mark 9." (Luke 4.23) "I order you to come out...." (John 6.14) "Then see!" (Luke 18.8) "Go.7) "Lazarus. where you will find that the demon has gone out of your daughter." (John 6.go back home." (Luke 17.." (Mark 8. BUT NOT ALTERED
.4) "On the way they were made clean.... come out!" (John 11.. and gave them to his disciples to distribute.56) "..52) "Be quiet and come out of this man!" (Luke 4.25) "Go. and distributed it to the people..11) ".35) "." (Mark 7.." (Luke 4." (Luke 9.43)
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COPIES MAY BE MADE."And all who touched it were made well "(Mark 6. your son will live" (John 4..." (Luke 14.54) ".." (Mark 7... pick up your mat and walk." (Mark 8..34) "Open up!" (Mark 7." (John 5. gave thanks to God. your faith has made you well. spat and touched the man's tongue.19) "Go.. wash your face in the Pool of Siloam" (John 9...33) "touched the edge of his cloak.29) ".6) "Jesus placed his hands on him.42) "Now draw some water" (John 2.42) "Jesus..broke them." (Luke 8.

How could we become empowered with gifts such as these? It would almost surely occur through the ultimate power of genetics and evolution. BUT NOT ALTERED
. whether that means outright evolution. but it is hard to imagine that the basis of all biological life – DNA – and its natural and applied processes do not play the fundamental role in the advancement of species throughout the Cosmos. mating with a higher species or active genetically-engineered combination of features. This may shock many people. Might this have something to do with the oft-reported phenomenon of human "abduction" by our visitors?
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).). The book of Revelation describes in highly symbolic form the grand vision of God's government of the whole of creation. this book holds out hope for the Jewish Christian.D. as the capital city of the new community of God and his people. However. Often a heavenly messenger-. BUT NOT ALTERED
. The concept of the New Jerusalem appears in the apocalyptic literature of the Hebrew Bible.PART IV
EVOLVING IN A PLACE CALLED EDEN IS A PROMISING YOUNG CIVILIZATION. "Apocalyptic" literature (e. WE GROW MORE DANGEROUS YET WISER EACH DAY. and Revelation) often emphasizes a cosmological vision. And heavenly wonders are seen as assurances that God is in ultimate control of his Cosmos of creation. THE COSMOS IS THEIR OCEAN
AND THEY HAVE BEEN MINDFUL OF OUR NEED TO DEVELOP.. the witnesses to "heavenly" interactions over the millennia have left us their records of visions and promises made by those in space above. The major reference to the New Jerusalem in the New Testament is found in the Revelation to John. THEY ARE WATCHING US NOW. during the persecutions of Christians under the Emperor Domitian (81-96 A. is an intermediary to God. the New Testament. TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT US THROUGH THE AGES.an angel.g. and also for the gentile Christian suffering persecution from the Roman Empire.
What will contact with these teachers actually be like? No one on Earth can accurately answer that question as far as I know.
AT WHAT MOMENT IN HISTORY
WOULD THESE VISITORS WANT US TO JOIN THEM? WHAT WILL WE BECOME WHEN WE DO?
WE SHALL MEET THEM AS THE MEN AND WOMEN OF EARTH AND ASK THEM FOR THEIR TRUTH. that God is in control of his creation. or Christ. God had a heavenly city where they would live together in peace and tranquility. and the Book of Mormon. As the author of the epistle to the Hebrews would assure those saints who were bereft of an earthly city. Written mainly after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple (70-71 A. John records his vision:
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bright as crystal. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.. and God himself will be with them. the home of God is among mortals. I will show you the bride. for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying. the size. They will be his peoples. and its lamp is the Lamb. 'These words are trustworthy and true. they will see his face.' Then he said to me. flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit each month. the wife of the Lamb. pearls. transparent as glass. I am making all things new. and they will reign forever and ever! And he said to me. 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega. and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations..' (Rev. gold. and the sea was no more. See. and I will be their God and they will be my children. the beginning and the end. And the one who was seated on the throne said. . Its gates will never be shut by day. The "street of the city. Those who conquer will inherit these things. the God of the spirits of the prophets. And there will be no more night. []
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. for they need no light of lamp or sun. (Rev. And in the spirit he carried me away to a great. high mountain and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. clear as crystal.. 21:22-26) Then the angels showed me the river of the water of life. for the Lord. BUT NOT ALTERED
. is pure gold. It has the glory of God and a radiance like every rare jewel. and the Kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.and there will be no night there. and his servants will worship him. And I saw the holy city. 21:9-12)
John describes the walls. and the configuration of the New Jerusalem in lavish symbols of jewels. for these words are trustworthy and true. the new Jerusalem.(Rev. and his name will be on their foreheads.' Also he said. mourning and crying and pain will be no more. has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." (Rev. coming down out of heaven from God. The nations will walk by its light. for the Lord God will be their light. for the first things have passed away. He will dwell with them. . the gates. prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 21:2-1) I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.. 'See. like Jasper. 'Write this. 21:1-7) Then an angel of God said to John: Come. for the glory of God is its light. he will wipe every tear from their eyes: Death will be no more.

references may be to the promises of a heavenly city or home. the heavenly Jerusalem. Are you?
A More Modern Description of Christ Consider one of the more powerful scriptures from my own LDS heritage. In Christian sources too. I.. he refers to "the Jerusalem above. through Jesus Christ his Son— 6 He that ascended up on high. 5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn. in that he comprehended all things. and feel every emotion we've ever projected out into the world. I am willing to face my soul.. he says that "our citizenship is in heaven. It was received by a man named Joseph Smith." (Gal. In Paul's epistle to the Galatians. While it may be as incomprehensibly allegorical as the biblical account of creation. as also he descended below all things. from an possible notion of a heavenly city. even the glory of the celestial kingdom. See Isaiah Chapters 54. for a tiny few pure heaven. the inheritance of the Christian after death. and note that this revelation is well reported to have been received at the end of 1832. this would surely be defined as hell. if there is truth to the overall hypothesis of this work. when the Messiah will come to Earth. including me. whose description of encounters with brilliant white-clothed beings are almost indistinguishable from many modern-day accounts of first-hand encounters with "visitors". the holiest of all. I am coming. . and not imagine that there is some basic truth to the idea of judgment. "4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life.. while Israel is in exile. However. soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. and most of us. 23:1-9) The Hebrew bible makes numerous references to the New Jerusalem. For some of us. but he said to me. Ezekiel chapters 40. Paul says: "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God. It is impossible for me to accept major scriptural teachings as based in historical fact. What might that truth be? Perhaps we will face our own souls in a mirror of the mind. Worship God!" (Rev. 4:26-27) In his epistle to the Philippians. the light of truth..
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. it is difficult to separate references to the accomplishment of an earthly Zion at a future date. I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. some mixture of the two. 48. 'You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets. and select those who shall graduate to become like God.. 60. 3:20) And in the epistle to the Hebrews. look into our souls to examine our worthiness. that he might be in all and through all things. am the one who heard and saw these things. John." (Phili.See. And when I heard and saw them. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the idea of judgment is so pervasive that it must have some basis in fact. and to innumerable angels in festal gathering. and the building again of the temple. even of God. (Heb. 12:22) What are my predictions of the future? Scripture is replete with warnings of a great day of judgement. ..

and the light of the sun. and the power thereof by which it was made. it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness. BUT NOT ALTERED
. and the power thereof by which it was made. 18 Therefore. who is in the bosom of eternity. Section 88:4-19
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. verily I say unto you.LDS Doctrine and Covenants. 12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space— 13 The light which is in all things. who is in the midst of all things. 14 Now. that it may be prepared for the celestial glory. even the earth upon which you stand. which is the law by which all things are governed.7 Which truth shineth. 8 As also he is in the moon. which giveth life to all things. it shall be crowned with glory. 17 And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things. 10 And the earth also." -. As also he is in the sun. 15 And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. even with the presence of God the Father. is through him who enlighteneth your eyes. and the power thereof by which they were made. that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. 19 For after it hath filled the measure of its creation. 11 And the light which shineth. and the power thereof. even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne. 9 As also the light of the stars. in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it. and is the light of the moon. which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings. This is the light of Christ. which giveth you light. 16 And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.

PART V

THE TRUTH
What a wonderful feeling it must be, to take that first trip in a craft of the future. Step inside and see nothing but metal and panels. Sit down, touch a control, or perhaps just think a thought, and something magical happens. Covering all the walls, upon all the flooring, there are advanced illuminating materials that fade on, displaying a sweeping 360 degree, spherical, completely enveloping real time image. Every pixel is integrated into the most magnificent virtual reality screen of all time. A predecessor to the holodeck. The ship rises on artificial gravity, and floats like a leaf in a weightless pond of energy. You feel nothing. No acceleration. Within the field of warp propulsion, the energy of time is bent around the craft, to cause motion to occur with no inertial resistance. You literally fall towards your destination. During the first moments of your flight, as remarkable as the image surrounding you is, the more immediate senses of touch and balance clue you to the totally unique and organic feel of the motion of this amazing new craft. After a moment, the overpowering fear of such height fades away into your imagination. Acceleration without inertia. What a strange discontinuity of sensation. Your eyes say one thing, and your inner ear, skin, and muscles say nothing. Finally to fly like an eagle! This must be how Einstein imagined he would have traveled through space, without the noisy Model Ts of Newtonian mechanical propulsion. The gift of your soul to your body, a star ship. Zipping below you are the skyscrapers of New York. But just a moment or two later, St. Paul's Cathedral snaps into view along the Thames. WHAT AMAZING POWER! The sprawling countrysides of the Netherlands flow by underneath you, like an ocean of meadows. And you turn right. A large body of water, it must be the Mediterranean. So blue this ancient sea really is. And now, in a sailing ship of the stars, powered by the wind of the Cosmos, we may cross it in three seconds, instead of 3 weeks. As the shore of Africa lights the interior of the craft with a dingy yellow hue, you slow down towards Cairo. You have never seen the Great Pyramid with your own eyes. And there it is. Two million two-ton blocks, placed together with the care of a watchmaker. The dimensions of this mammoth construction are squared to within inches, and its orientation to the headings of the compass, precise. It must be a great construction of intelligent life even on the scale of the heavens. Such perfect construction of such an instructive symbol of intelligence. In its day, its smooth white limestone sides, polished nearly to optical precision, glistened in the light of the sun - or the moon, or the stars. There is now no doubt that this great construction was, at the very least, a testimony to the heavens, if not a construction thereof. But Africa, the birthplace of humanity, is full of wonders. At one time, the desert of Africa was as green and perfect an oasis as Amazonia today. Creatures of all variety roamed these jungles and plains, a few still remain today. The largest roaming beasts, the most savage hunters, the most poisonous reptiles, the most gentle grazers, the largest and smallest of the insects, fish that survive in dry land and mammals that swim through floods. And the earliest of human beings. From the tip of Cape Town rises the Great Southern Ocean. Unfettered by land, the southern latitudes have an attitude all their own. The wind blows tempestuously through day and night, in a circle around the globe, driving gigantic, 50 foot ocean waves as common and routine as ripples in a stream. This place is for the bravest of sailors, many of whom met their fate face to face, shoulder to shoulder with nature, not too far from the ice world of Antarctica. Colder than the deepest winter, home only to the sturdiest of creatures, Antarctica is a world only a few men and women have seen first hand. It is a desolate place, an example of many a world where the mean temperature is just a few degrees cooler. It's a continent of glacial ice, storing a reserve of pure water for warmer times, absorbing it during cooler times. The poles are the sponges of Earth, as they equalize the

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depth of the oceans in insurance of a balance between land and sea. What wonderful, rare simplicity and complexity both. How can anyone say that Earth is not a living being in the truest sense? Past the Strait of Magellan, where in the early 16th century a world was circumnavigated by humans for the first time, the last remaining forest continent of Earth emerges. Life in terms most people cannot comprehend lives here. Millions of species dancing to the music of evolution, eating, sleeping, learning, competing, evolving, loving. The forests, jungles and rivers are the crucible of evolution, and we cut and burn them away. Then you see them. Living mountain peaks, the chapel spires of Earth rising out of the foggy mist, but not touching your feet. Waterfalls from the heights, into lush forests below. What majestic creatures mountains are. Driven by the geologic life of Earth, they are born, grow, and die as well. Not far from the mountaintops, you are swallowed into a billowing cloud. And you sense the water, gathering together, ready to fall and replenish the life in the forest and rivers below. The gift of the ocean to the land, the cool rain. As you ascend through the clouds, piercing beyond the lung of your world, a silence strikes every sense of your soul. Your gaze shifts from the blue light below, and you look up. A black blacker than sudden blindness hits your senses, or rather doesn't, as your eyes adjust to the silent night of heaven. And ever so gracefully, the campfires of the Cosmos begin to sparkle. Millions and millions of diamond colored lights are painted across time, shining with their infinitely narrow rays the brightest of lights directly into your eyes. How real the stars now are, without the veil of nitrogen and oxygen to cloud your vision. The life of the Cosmos is staring at you from those points of light. The love of the Cosmos is striking your retina. As the patterns in the heavens gently turn, showing the motion of your ship, you are overwhelmed by the realization that you're floating in space, in a four dimensional ocean as vast to you now as the ocean must be to an amoeba in a tide pool of the Pacific. Indeed, you realize that we are all amoeba, embarking from a tide pool we call Earth. The vastness crushes your imagination with energy. It is the ultimate frontier, your ultimate purpose. It is the life of the Cosmos. A profoundly humbling feeling overwhelms you as you realize that you are the truest of explorers, a sailor to other worlds. And then the greatest wisdom settles peacefully in your mind. The sense of time disappears. You were always on your way to this place, to every place, ever since you were like a green blade of grass on the sandy beach. The gift of the land to the ocean, the warm surface of the shore. As you leave that beautiful, glistening blue Earth behind, you can't help but think how foolish we all have been, caught up in our trivial attentions, to ever have lost humility before nature. All that we have ever really known is locked up on that small blue globe, a vanishing speck of dust in the sea of time. Some day soon, we shall all venture into the depths of time. But first, we must build an understanding of how we arrived at this place we call the present. We must acquire an understanding of the truth within ourselves, the truth of our souls. The secret, I believe, rests in a reinterpretation of the nature of the Cosmos. I propose that we consider reinterpreting everything known to science in terms better understood in biology, under the hypothesis that the entire Cosmos is single being of life. I know that this kind of idea is anathema to most scientists, who may consider it "metascience", something like a religious faith and therefore unacceptable to reductionist logic. However, reductionist logic taken to its extreme has surely failed to cure the ills of society, and indeed contributed to most of them, at the same time as it has provided wondrous advances for us all. Since no human could ever understand the details of every specialization of science, must we not have a metascience in order to master the most important teachings from the collection of disciplines of truth? Surely we must make room for a science of holism, and my guess is we will come to think of it as a holy science, with new rituals all its own to ensure its passage to our children.

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On July 4, 1994 the United States of America awarded the Liberty Medal to the Czech president, Vaclav Havel. In his speech he took the theme "We are not alone nor for ourselves alone." He observed that the modern age has ended, the artificial world order of the past decades has collapsed and a new more just order has not yet emerged. He went on to say that we are now where classically modern solutions do not give a satisfactory response. We need to anchor the idea of human rights and freedoms in a different place and in a different way than has been done so far. Paradoxically, he says, inspiration for the renewal of lost integrity can again be found in science: a new science that allows itself to transcend its own limits. He gave two examples of this: the anthropic principle, where science is confronted with a mystical implication in that our creation purely from anomaly is difficult to defend. The second idea was James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis, where Earth is defined and described as literally a living being. The words of such a holy science would not be laden with abstract nouns and the passive tense, they would be simple, active words. Words that convey precise reality, emotional meaning, and motive as concisely and powerfully as possible. In the vision I suggest we consider, the Gaia hypothesis is extended in every direction possible. I call it the One Hypothesis. It is not a fundamentally new idea. Various aspects of it have been taught in various forms across history, by minds far greater than mine. In my version, evolution extends back far further than the double-helix of biology, but to space-time itself. In this vision, space-time is not machine, but rather life itself, and the power of evolution rests in a force called love. From these things, so I imagine, springs the Cosmos. Love evolves to reproduce physics, physics evolves to reproduce astrophysics, astrophysics evolves to reproduce chemistry, chemistry evolves to reproduce geology, geology evolves to reproduce ecology, and ecology evolves to reproduce you. We evolve to produce books such as this, to pass on our truth to our distant children. What distant children shall you evolve to reproduce?

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Conclusion "We are a way for the universe to know itself." - Carl Sagan

"A perpetual trend toward richness, the outcome of which cannot be foreseen, may be the true fate of the universe." – George Musser, Staff Editor, Scientific American, January 1999 If I were to concentrate the meaning of my book down to two pages, what would I say? Scientists are close to discovering the physical nature of consciousness, and that origin appears startlingly fundamental to the nature of the Cosmos itself. There appears to be a very basic truth to the concept that the Cosmos is collectively conscious, comprised of a seething potential out of which individual beings of reality have formed, everything "material" simply a pattern of energy in time, deeply interconnected into one macrosystem at a quantum level. This has direct implications for the veracity of the ancient concept of the soul, and to a vanishingly young ability in each of us to communicate telepathically and to use the power of intent to literally create reality with our minds. Physicists are also close to discovering the means to derive energy and gravitational propulsion from this same seething vacuum energy. Serious contemplation and study is due to frame with great care the use of these fundamental new abilities. We do know as scientists now, in just the last part of the last century since the birth of a being named Jesus, that there is unambiguous design in the nature of the Cosmos. It is coming to be understood that consciousness cannot be regarded as an accident. The layers of the onion of cosmology, physics, astrophysics, chemistry, geology, ecology, and biologist cannot be regarded as merely unintended order within chaos. There must at least be the principle of intent at work within the machinery of time. I believe that each of these orders within time is like a student of the next higher order, one day to be "promoted" to teacher, in a perpetual process of learning and advancement. It is a continuous pattern of intent, with each order gaining new powers of choice. Every order has its laws, and every order has its freedoms. Every choice has its consequences, which must be learned. Once the lessons of the order are completed, an advancement occurs. A new order emerges. A phase transition in time presents itself, where fundamentally new choices are opened. And the more fundamental the revolution in the history of any species of order, the more lengthy is the period of revolution beyond what that species may expect it to be. We are witnessing one of these ultra-long-wavelength revolutions now. What is the soul? What are you? Who are you? The answer represents the ultimate significance of my hypothesis: Faithful people across Western culture believe that God said: "I am that I am." Every scientist could agree with Carl Sagan's first statement in his book Cosmos: "the Cosmos is all that is". I am that I am. It is that which is. These descriptions are nearly identical. The former, however, contains no duality. Faithful people across Western culture believe that God said: "Let there be light." Every scientist could agree with the following logical sequence: Time has made all things. Time has yielded the Cosmos, through order upon order. The Cosmos is made of light. Light ordered is matter. The mutual exclusivity of the scientific and religious accounts of creation is now clearly without basis. The name science has given to God is Cosmos.

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in ways similar to our experience of evolutionary history. is a form of LOVE. Everything we think. right or wrong. whether good or evil. along a fractal ladder of intent in a field of change. the Cosmos thinks. We are always the student of the higher order and the teacher for the lower order. You are entirely and completely a function of the Cosmos. not a single linear dimension. Imagination and thought are intent. in each of us.
THE END
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. The son and the father and the daughter and the mother are one. One day we may even become the origin of religions for animals lower in the order of biology. Everything we make. we would do well to remember the significance of the most important single word in human language. Perhaps one day we will become teachers of younger beings on this world or another. our Mother. BUT NOT ALTERED
. the Cosmos makes. however painful or joyous. having taken further steps in evolution we can't yet understand. rich or poor. and is just now comprehending the experience of temporal change. each a light in time. the infinite possibilities of change. Time is a function. The Cosmos wrote this book. The homo sapiens mind has a well-developed grasp of spatial change. are the children of Cosmos. a blue green speck of truth sparkling in the seething potential of the heavens.I believe that every one of us is made of light. and intent has the power to directly cause physical change. human or alien or snake or tree or ocean or stone or mountain or world or galaxy. We are truly individuals within One. We are children of Cosmos. It is the true "force". This is a sacred power. The Cosmos is reading this book. Patterns of temporal change – electromagnetism – form matter when organized into shapes called space. Or perhaps they may be grander beings still than animals. You and I. intellectually and perhaps occasionally even genetically. black or white. the word that I believe will ultimately break us into the next epoch of our saga: The word is TRUTH. You and I are animals of Cosmos called homo sapiens on the being of Cosmos named Earth. hence the compound word space-time. thoughout human history. We are made of God. Perhaps the first ones we meet will turn out to have helped to guide us along. All orders of the Cosmos are built upon this function. One day we will experience open contact with animals from other worlds. Truth experienced. Every being has this power. As that day approaches. and every one of us matter. The more general word for time is change. I – the truth of observation – am – the love of experience.

there is one way to determine whether there is truth to the tale that I have told in this book. The answer to this question is obvious. We must succeed in the quest to demand that our leaders – most of whom are as uninformed on these subjects as the general public – allow those bound by secrecy oaths regarding these subjects to speak freely. as I do. Look at how you have treated my story in in early 1999! If the sensationalized and trivialized articles appearing recently about my story were to have been written about their stories. They do not necessarily have the resumes to command the attention of the press. Treat this subject seriously and you will get the eyewitness testimony you ask for. as I do. BUT NOT ALTERED
. their careers would be over and their families ostracized.Afterword
Many reporters have asked "where are the credible eyewitnesses to these alleged secrets? Why won't they step forward?" I have met with many of them. I know the answer to this question. Then we will all – me included – start the long process of learning the rest of the story. It is your own fault.
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COPIES MAY BE MADE. In the final analysis. Those in a position to know interesting things do not. have millions of dollars to spend to communicate their ideas.